Mirror Image
by XxKingArthurIIIxX
Summary: Rin has always believed she was insane. Ever since the day she found out that seeing the boy in the mirror wasn't normal, that loving him wasn't normal. But when she is one day brought into his word―the world of mirrors, she discovers that she was never delirious, but was only open to what the rest of the world was blind to.
1. The Day She Was Brought To The Other

** Mirror Image**

**Chapter 1: The Day She Was Brought To The Other World**

"Mama, why is it when you look in the mirror you're a girl, but when I look into the mirror I become a boy?" Rin asked waving at her reflection. She was four at the time, seeking her mother's attention as usual when she popped the question.

"What are you talking about?" Her mother Lily asked paying her little attention. She kept her hand steady as she applied dark red lipstick on herself. She was running late for work and had no time to partake in small chitchat with her daughter.

Rin leaned closer to the bathroom mirror, pointing at her reflection. "See? That's not me. It's a boy. He keeps copying me." She glared at the glass. "Stop it."

Her mother rolled her eyes. She would never understand children, or Rin. "Sorry Rin. I'm late for work. Let's talk later. Okay?" She said patting her daughter's head. She ran off before she had the chance to protest.

"Hey!" She yelled after her. She huffed in annoyance. "No one ever listens to me." She muttered. She turned to the mirror, giving her reflection a hard look before she stuck her tongue out at it.

As did the boy in the mirror.

* * *

Rin had always believed herself to be insane. Ever since the day she found out that seeing that boy―that _thing_ in the mirror wasn't normal. When did she start to see her distorted image? Who knows, but it had ruled her life ever since. This insanity of hers didn't limit itself to mirrors. Oh no. It took the full course. Whenever her image was reflected off pools of water, whenever her photo was taken, whenever she was _drawn_, she didn't see herself, she saw _him_. It had been so long since she saw her true self that she didn't know how she looked like anymore. How did she look like? Did she look like him? These questions would always drive her mad. Not that she wasn't already.

Rin supposed she should come forward with this illness of hers. Maybe then would she find someone willing to help her, maybe then she would be able to receive treatment and finally be cured. These thoughts had crossed her mind many times before and she knew these were nothing but sugar coated dreams. With her mother working overseas, no friends, and her status as a social outcast, there was no one _to _talk to. Even if there were, they wouldn't be able to help her. They didn't understand what it was like, and they never would. She knew if she were to tell someone about her illness, she'd be taken away and her barrier around other people would only grow stronger.

Rin pulled the covers away as she woke up to the painfully bright sunlight. She groaned, forcing herself off her bed as she made her way to the bathroom. "Another day of school." She muttered. She dreaded the thought of spending eight hours crammed into a classroom with her annoying classmates.

She turned on the tap, splashing her face with cold water. It immediately woke her up. With her eyes shut tight, she searched the wall for the hand towel hanging by a hook. She grabbed it, wiping her face clean of excess water. When she opened her eyes, she found them meeting his. She quickly looked away and grabbed her toothbrush. So did he. She wet it, squeezing toothpaste onto the brush. As did the boy. This annoyed Rin. She always felt mocked when looking into the mirror. It was as if her distorted image knew what bothered her, thus imitating everything she did, so she turned around, her back facing the mirror as she finished her morning routine.

Rin ate her breakfast and changed into her uniform soon after. She grabbed her school bag, ready to head out when she realized she'd forgotten to tame her unruly blonde hair. She cursed under her breath as she headed back inside.

She climbed up the stairs, opening the door to her room. It was there she found her white ribbon sitting by her bedside. She grabbed it, sitting in front of her dresser with an attached mirror to it. She stared right into it. It was the only time of day when she would dare to look right at him.

She took a comb, wincing as she pulled at the knots in her hair. Her distorted image watched calmly at the sight of her pain. A look of interest gleamed in his eyes as he stood still. It was only during this time would her reflection not imitate her. She didn't know why. Was it because they had different hair styles, she wondered. While they shared the same shoulder lengthened hair, they both wore it differently. Rin liked to let her hair loose, tying a large white ribbon on the front of her hair to keep stray hair from flying at her face while her distorted image tied his hair back into a loose ponytail.

"Stop looking at me." She mumbled, tightening her bow.

Her reflection didn't imitate her mouth movements either. He remained still as he watched her with serious eyes.

Rin sighed, knowing that talking to her reflection was useless. She stood up, grabbing her school bag as she left her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Have a nice day." The boy muttered, smiling to himself.

* * *

Rin had come early.

There was only five minutes until class would begin. The teacher was nowhere to be seen. Rin's classmates had taken this opportunity well. They had all spread out to different corners of the classroom sitting in their cliques, chatting. She wouldn't have minded if she didn't find a pair of boys sitting in her seat. Yuuma and Al, if she remembered correctly. She approached the two in an awkward manner.

"Um, excuse me." She whispered.

They didn't seem to hear her, or feel her presence.

"Excuse me." She said raising her voice.

"Hm?" Yuuma said noticing her first.

"You're sitting in my seat."

"Can't you let it go? Just this once?" Al asked with a smile.

"No." She said sounding ruder than she intended.

There was a silence between the three teens. Al's smile had faded, and Yuuma glared at her. "You don't have to be so prissy about it." He snapped as the two boys returned to their original seating.

Rin sighed. She was never very skilled with communication. She was raised alone therefore was clueless on how to deal with other people. She usually came off as rude or mean which caused friction between her and her other classmates. It wasn't long before she was labeled as an outcast. She wasn't surprised about it either. She frowned. She supposed it was a good thing. The less people that wanted to be with her, then the smaller the chance anyone would find out about her.

"Hello Rin." A bubbly voice called.

Well, there was one exception.

"Hello." She said in a less than audible tone.

Her classmate Miku smiled as she sat in the seat in front of her. "So, it's your birthday tomorrow. Shall we celebrate?"

She furiously shook her head. "No. I wasn't planning on doing anything special so..."

"Eh? Why not?" She frowned, clearly disappointed.

She shrugged.

"Oh, well." Her smile returned. "Then I'll get you something special."

"You don't have to―"

"I want to."

Rin blushed. She wasn't used to other people's kindness, and her classmate Miku was especially kind to her. She didn't know why. Rin was passive, quiet, and depressing to be around. Miku was direct, talkative, and energetic. People would always flock to her side. They were complete opposites with absolutely nothing in common. Well even if that was the case, Rin liked having her by her side. She shed a bit of light on her dark self.

The school day passed slowly. Rin forced herself to stay awake during her teacher's lesson. She wasn't paying attention, but attempted to appear so. She flipped through the pages of her notebook, finding many doodles and scribbles mixed in with her notes. She turned to the last page surprised to find it filled. There were still many free pages in between the current and last page. She turned back to the last page, curious as to what she had written.

Her heart stopped as she read the first line. Now she remembered. This had been a list of the possibilities...of her illness. Schizophrenia, hallucinations, the list went on. There were even notes on her mirror image. Rin had been in an awfully depressing mood when she had written this. How she could ever forget this was a mystery.

Rin quickly ripped the paper off, scrunching it into a small ball, quickly shoving the paper into her desk. She breathed a sigh of relief. Out of sight and out of mind.

* * *

Rin packed her things as she heard the sweet ring of the bell echo in her eardrums.

Miku got up from her seat and stretched. "Finally it's over. Now I can go on my date with Kaito~" She sang.

"H-have fun." Rin said, proud she was able to utter the sentence.

Just as Miku was about to leave, she froze. "Rin." She said with her back turned towards her.

"Yes?"

"Do...do you want me to introduce someone to you?" She asked.

"Huh?" She didn't understand her question.

"A boy. I have a friend who's organizing a goukon this Friday..."

Rin's eyes darkened. Now she understood. A boyfriend? Rin barely had any friends. What made her think she would be able to handle a romantic relationship? Did Rin even hold romantic feelings for anyone? An image of her male-reflection popped into her head. Her eyes widened. Why had his face come to mind? She didn't love him. He was just a pigment of her imagination, an image of her insanity.

If that was the case, then why did her heart clench, and her face redden at the thought of him?

"Rin?" Miku said turning to her. "Are you listening?"

"O-oh, um thanks for the offer," She whispered. "but I'm not interested."

She frowned. "Oh."

* * *

Rin adjusted her bow in front of the bathroom mirror. When his hair was prefect, she knew hers was as well. "There." She said, satisfied.

Rin stared at the palm of her hands expectantly, as if she was about to witness some sort of change. Today was her birthday, though she didn't feel any different. She was sixteen, but didn't appear so. She didn't really grow much after her fourteenth birthday. She balled both her hands into tight fists. "Let this be a good year." She said taking a deep breath.

Just as she was about to leave the bathroom, she heard a male voice whisper, "Today's the day."

She stopped in her tracks, quickly cranking her head towards the mirror. She and her distorted image both shared looks of shock and fear. They sighed. It was only her hearing things. "I'm paranoid."

But as soon as she turned away, her reflection had smiled deviously.

Rin headed down stairs. She stopped by the home phone. Its red blinker informed her of a missed call. The caller had left her a message. She decided to listen to it as she got ready to leave.

"Hey Rin. It's me." She recognized the voice as her mother's. "Happy birthday. You're fifteen years old now. Ah, how time files."

Rin rolled her eyes as she slipped into her shoes.

Anyway I sent you a present. It should be delivered to you in about a week. Keep your eyes out for it." She laughed. "Again, happy birthday. I love you. Bye."

"Bye." She whispered.

Rin arrived at school not long after. She walked down the hall. Her classroom was only a few feet away. She checked her watch. She was earlier than usual. There was a little over twenty minutes before class would start. She slid the back door of the classroom open as she stepped inside. She walked towards her desk noticing it was already occupied by a girl with teal pig-tails. Miku.

She crouched by her desk, trying to shove a wrapped present into the gap when a scrunched paper fell onto the floor. Miku took notice of it, and picked it up. Rin's eyes widened. _No_! She ran up to her, wanting to snatch the paper out of her hands, but it was too late. Miku had opened up the paper, looking at the contents inside. She furrowed her brows. "I...am psychotic? Schizophrenia? Mirror-image...Len?" She looked up at her. "What is this?"

Rin slowly started to back away from her. She wore a distressed expression, her eyes wide in shock. It was over. Miku had found her note and Rin had no cover up story. She was finished.

She ran.

"Rin!" Miku yelled, chasing after her.

Rin didn't stop. She didn't want to be confronted, so she continued to run. She needed a place to hide. She went into the girls' bathroom hoping the space could provide some sort of sanctuary, but it didn't. Miku had soon followed her inside. "Rin, what's going on? Are you okay?"

"I-I..." Again, she backed away until her back met with the bathroom mirror. She had nowhere else to run.

And that's when it happened.

A dazzling green light had shone from behind. Her back tingled with warmth as murky air blew from behind. She was frozen in fear. What on earth was going on? Before she could even further question the situation, two firm hands latched onto her shoulders as they pulled her into the portal leading to the abyss behind her.

And the last thing she saw was a pair of frightened teal eyes.


	2. The World of Mirrors

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 2: The World of Mirrors**

"In here, Kiyoteru-sensei." Miku said dragging her very reluctant teacher into the girls' bathroom

"Yes, yes." He sighed. He kept his eye out for female students as he entered the restricted area. "Now, what is it I'm supposed to see?'

He watched as Miku carefully approached one of the bathroom mirrors. She appeared cautious as she placed a steady hand on the cool glass. "It was this one..." She began. "She went through this mirror. I saw it." Images of the green light, the portal, and her friend's terrified face rushed through her mind. "Someone took her away!" She blurted, remembering the eerie pair of hands that grabbed onto her shoulders before she disappeared.

"Miku, I'm busy enough as it is. Please don't call me unless you have a _real_ emergency."

"But―"

"Goodbye." He said leaving.

"Useless." She said under her breath. Miku looked back at the mirror, wearing a worried expression. "Where did she go?"

* * *

_Rin walked through a pool of darkness seeing nothing, hearing nothing, and feeling nothing. Where was she? She didn't know. She'd been walking for what felt like an eternity. She had no destination in mind. All she wanted was to find someone―something besides this empty darkness. "Hello." She called. "Is anybody there?" She received no response, her voice fading into the nothingness._

_She fell on her knees, her exhaustion finally weighing in on her. "Anybody..." She croaked. She didn't want to be left alone. Not in this barren field of nothing._

_Murky air blew from behind her. Rin froze remembering the last time she felt the comforting wind. Fighting her exhaustion, Rin got back up on her feet and without even looking back, she ran._

_"Wait."_

_Before Rin could even ponder the familiarity of the voice, a hand went right through her chest. She screamed, and screamed until her voice went out on her. "Ahh." She said breathing her last scream as she tripped over her own two feet. Tears welled in her eyes. Was she going to die? On her birthday? She was too young and had so many regrets. __Rin's mind was on overload, therefore she could not contemplate the fact that she felt no pain._

_Rin blinked, her mind finally starting to clear. She placed a hand on her chest realizing the hand had disappeared and that she bore no wounds. She wiped her tears as she stood up. Had it been her imagination?_

_"Don't you think you were overreacting just a bit?"_

_She flinched as she turned to the source of the voice. With his spiky blond hair, deep blue eyes, and un-amused expression, she recognized him in an instant. It was her mirror image. Only this time there was no mirror separating them. "Y-you."_

_He smiled, captivating her instantly. "Ah, Rin. How I've longed to speak with you."_

_She took a cautious step back. "Who-who are you?"_

_"I am nothing but a subconscious." He said, his face becoming serious._

_She was confused. A subconscious? A subconscious of whom?_

_"I don't even have the ability to touch you." He demonstrated by brushing his fingertips across her cheek. She felt nothing._

_"Eh?" She outstretched her arm towards him in an attempt to graze him, but her arm only went through him. He was intangible, as if he was nothing more than air. Her eyes widened at the strangeness of it all._

_Regaining her composure she said, "If you are what you say you are, then...who or what brought me here?"_

_He lowered his eyes. "It was me. I used the last of my power to solidify myself so I'd be able to bring you here. I am in a weak state right now." He said staring at his transparent palms._

_"But why? Why here of all places? Where ever this is."_

_"You would have ended up here with or without my interference. I only brought you so I could speak with you before I go." Go? Where would he go? "You see, you have a destiny deep within the mirror. Find it and on the way, find me. Let my conscious fall in love with you, just as I have." He said making Rin blush. "As for where you are...well you don't think I'd leave you in an empty abyss of nothing, did you?"_

_"Then this is..."_

_"Your dream state."_

_"Wha―"_

_"Wake up, Rin"_

She gasped, waking back into consciousness. Her head ached. Her lips were parched, she was thirsty. "W..water." She mumbled as her eyes slowly opened. She was met with a pair of beautiful teal eyes. She squinted as her vision began to clear. "Mi..ku?"

"Do you know her?" A cute sounding voice questioned.

"No, I don't think so..." Said a male voice.

"You've been hitting on the village girls again. Haven't you." The female voice growled.

"No, I swear. I've never seen this girl in my life!"

"You sound awful sure of yourself."

"Just go bring the _stranger_ a glass of water."

She hear the female voice mutter under her breath before she heard the door slam shut.

Rin rubbed her eyes as she sat upright. She blinked, observing her surroundings. She sat in a stiff wooden bed with a thin mattress and pillow. She was covered with an even thinner blanket that failed to provide her with any warmth. The room had wooden floors, walls and ceiling. In fact everything in the room was made out of wood. From the dresser, to the closet, to the night table by her bedside. Was she in some sort of cabin?

She turned to her friend. "Miku, where am I―" She froze. The person in front of her was _not_ Miku. She was a fool for not seeing it before. This...this _person_ and Miku had many similarities. They shared the same sparkling teal eyes, the same bright hair, pale skin, identical smile, and they even shared the same scar by the left of their eyebrow. But there was one curtail difference. They were different genders.

The boy smiled guiltily. "Um...I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

Rin could only stare at the boy. While he looked just like her friend, he was very different. He was taller than Miku and wore his long hair into a low ponytail, but it wasn't only looks that made them different, it was his very distinct aura as well. It differed from Miku's ever-happy surrounding.

Rin opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the creak of the wooden door. "I'm back." A girl with dark azure hair walked in with a glass of water. She had large cobalt eyes, and wore a muffler over her dark blue tunic. "Here you go." She smiled, handing Rin the glass.

Rin could only gape at the sight of her. _Kai...to_? While she didn't see her upperclassman much, she knew this girl was his carbon copy.

"What were you doing huddled by the corner of the city gates anyway? You're lucky we found you before curfew, with the King walking the city streets today and all." The Miku look alike said.

Rin gripped at the roots of her hair. Her pulse quickened. Her face grew hot and her breathing irregular. She was overwhelmed. This was too much for her to handle. She needed to get out of here. Pulling the covers away from her body, she jumped out of bed and dashed for the door.

"Oi, where are you going?" The boy called after her.

She ignored him as she continued to run away. What was going on? Who were those people? Why did they look like Kaito and Miku? Were they distorted images? Rin bit on her bottom lip. _Has my insanity taken a new level?_

Rin rushed through the doors of the inn, stepping onto the city streets. It wasn't until she ran down the street did she finally take notice of her surroundings. "Where am I?" She asked herself. It was as if the world had been set back three hundred years. There were no city buildings or concrete construction. All she could see were two and a few three story buildings made out of wood and cement, local inns such as the one she previously resided in, and a large church like building located in the south of this city. There were no means of transportation either. No cars or buses, only horses resting by stores and outside homes. Where was she, she didn't know, but one thing was for sure: she wasn't in Japan anymore.

"Oi, you there!" A voice called from behind.

Rin snapped out of her daze, turning to her caller. "Y-yes?"

Several men, including her caller wore heavy battle armor. There were six of them in total. They all stood on either sides of a glamorous horse drawn carriage. "How dare you stand in the way of his highness? Have you not received word of this morning's curfew?"

"I-I." What on earth was he talking about?_...you're lucky we found you before curfew, with the king walking the streets today and all. _Rin paled. Did she just walk into a death trap? "Sorry?"

One of the armored men leaned into one of the open windows of the carriage. "What should we do, your grace?"

A hand pushed through the velvet curtain and out the window, the hand formed into a fist and proceeded to make a thumbs-down motion.

The man drew his sword as he stared Rin down. "Well, orders are orders." He muttered.

Rin swallowed. She didn't have a good feeling about this. Every cell in her body screamed for her to run away from the scene, but her feet remained planted to the ground. She was frozen in fear. The man raised his sword, ready for the blow. Rin shut her eyes tight.

"It's a bit unfair, isn't it? A grown man fighting against a woman."

She opened her eyes to find the Miku look alike in her sights, placing a protective hand in front of her. "I-it's you." She said, surprised.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Idiot girl. I warned you, didn't I?"

"I―"

"I am only carrying out his highness's orders. Now move, or I'll be forced to execute you as well." The man bellowed. He pointed his sword just an inch away from his neck in an attempt to scare him and prove his dominance.

The boy only smiled. He pulled at his travelers robe, revealing full body armour and a sword sheath at his side. Before the man could even react, he unsheathed the sword, pointing the weapon in between the mans eyebrows. He was only millimeters away from touching his flesh.

"To raise your sword at a royal knight..." He trailed off. "Execution on the spot!" He shrieked. He stepped back moving his sword away to prepare for a powerful blow on the boy's neck.

He stopped him before he could proceed with his attack. His sword met with his, quickly twisting the weapon away from the man. It dropped to the ground, creating a loud clanging noise, an awkward silence between the six knights, and a smirk on the boy's lips. "I wasn't aware royal knights were so weak." He placed his sword back in its sheath."I'll spare you're life. Consider it a favor."

The boy took advantage of the stunned silence. He grabbed Rin's hand and dashed away from the scene. Unfortunately, the knights quickly took notice. Three of the six of knights were ordered to go after the law-breaking pair. "Damn." The boy muttered under his breath. Knowing the armed men would not cease till they were caught, he decided to look for a place of hiding. He looked over his shoulder. They were still hot on their trail. He needed something that would temporarily distract them.

His eyes came across a horse drinking from a pail of water. He smiled. Perfect. Releasing Rin's hand, he grabbed the bucket. "Sorry, I'm going to borrow this." He whispered. Once the knights were close enough, he dumped the water on their faces, forcing them to shut their eyes. He took this opportunity to hide in an alleyway. "Hurry." He hissed after Rin who hadn't followed.

"Y-yes." She whispered.

They hid, praying the shadows would be able to conceal their presence. Rin held onto her breath as she heard the knights pass.

"They went this way." She heard one of them yell as they passed their hiding spot.

The boy breathed a sigh of relief. "I didn't think we'd make it out of that one." He turned to her. "Looks like we're going to be here a while. Thanks a lot."

"Well I didn't ask for your help." She snapped feeling instant regret. "Sorry." She said in a calmer tone. "You saved my life. Thank you." She sat back, leaning against the wall. "I'm just frustrated. There's just so much I don't understand."

"What's not to understand?" He asked, curious.

"Who are you? Who was that person from before? Where am I?"

"Well, my name is Hatsune Mikuo."

She gave him a look. _Even their names are similar_.

"As for that person you saw earlier, he's what we like to refer to as "The Dark Lord", the King of the land. He's merciless, that one." His eyes seemed to go to a far off place as he went deep into thought.

"Where am I?" She asked again.

"Oh, right." He said breaking away from his thoughts. "You're in Suzumiya city." He raised a brow. "How do you not know this―"

"Do you have a map?"

"Uh, I think so." He checked the pockets of his robe. His eyes lit. "Here we are." He pulled out a yellowed scroll and handed it to her.

She carefully unrolled the scroll, revealing an image of the world map. It seemed normal enough. It contained all seven continents, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, small islands, it even had the same longitude and latitude. She sighed. What was she expecting? A map of a different world? She looked at it again. Her heart stopped. No. There was a difference. A huge difference.

"Suzumiya city is over here." Mikuo pointed it out, outside of Japan's water mass. No, Japan _was _the water mass. In fact, all land masses were water. The African Sea, The European pacific, The Asian Atlantic. It was the opposite for all land masses. Unless Rin had complete gone insane, she was sure she was in a different world, an opposite world, a mirrored world.

* * *

They had returned back to the inn a few hours later, when the coast was finally clear. Rin was still deep in thought from her recent discovery. What would she do now, now that she had this information? No one back home would ever believe her. Home? Would she be able to return home? She hadn't the slightest idea how she came to this world in the first place. Was it even possible for her to return?

"Kaiko?" Mikuo called, opening the door to their room. "Are you in here?"

"Mikuo." She said getting up. "Where were you? I searched the whole city for you. Do you have any idea how exhausted I am?" Her worried tone slowly became a tone of irritation.

"Sorry. I was looking for this girl..." He turned to her.

"Rin." She whispered. "Rin Kagamine."

Kaiko and Mikuo exchanged looks for a moment before he continued. "Rin," He confirmed. "when we ran into some trouble with the King."

She looked like she was about to explode. "King? _King_? As in The Dark Lord who will kill you without hesitation?" She breathed an exasperated sigh. "What were you thinking?"

"It was my fault." Rin said intervening. "Mikuo was the one who saved me." She knew if it wasn't for him, she'd be dead by now. Indefinitely.

"Never mind." Said Mikuo. "Kaiko, do you think Rin could borrow some of your clothes? With that outfit of hers, she may bring...unwanted attention." He referred to Rin's school uniform, to be more specific:her short shirt, which was considered unusually short in their world.

"...Yes." She agreed.

Rin adjusted the sleeves of her dress. Kaiko and Mikuo had stepped outside the room to give her privacy as she changed. Rin observed her dress. It was nothing fancy. It was solid blue in colour, simple, and reached just above her ankles. The dress was light and easy to walk in.

When she finished changing, she turned to the mirror to make sure her hair wasn't ruined by her clothing change. She screamed at the sight of herself.

Kaiko and Mikuo burst through the door, worried something had happened to her. "What's the matter, Rin?" Mikuo asked.

"I-it's me." She said pointing at her reflection. "It's _me_." She smiled. Her real self. Her female self. It had been so long since she last saw her true self. Too long. She felt shy just looking at reflection. It was as if she was meeting a stranger for the first time, but she was happy, unbelievably so.

She frowned as she came to a realization. If she could see herself, then where was her distorted image, where was Len?

"First happy, then sad." muttered Mikuo. "I'll never understand women."

"No." Said Kaiko. "I think you just found a strange one."

..._find it and on the way find me._ Rin remembered the words from what she thought had been her forgotten dream. It had been his parting words before he had disappeared on her. Did he want her to find him? Was that it? But it was only a dream, she shouldn't take it seriously, should she? Then how else could she explain her normal reflection? As said before, Len was only a subconscious, his conscious self had no idea that she even existed. It was a hopeless cause. But...but what if she could find him?

Rin took a deep breath. She had made her decision. "I need to find someone."

"Who?" Mikuo asked.

"That's..." She had no idea.

"Don't want to share?" He said jokingly. "Well that's fine. Where is this person anyway?"

"I...don't know."

He raised a brow at this. "You don't know." He repeated.

She shook her head.

There was a long silence before Mikuo spoke again. "If you want, you can travel with us. We're going to the Capitol. There may be a chance you'll meet him since most people travel there this time of year."We'll be traveling by foot for most of the time, and the trip will take three months, if we're lucky, so I'm not sure if you'd want to go―"

"I'll go." She said a little too loudly. "I mean, if you'll let me." She said in a softer tone.

He laughed. "Alright then."

"Let's pack. I think it'd be best if we left this city. I don't think it'd be wise to stay here with the royal knights still looking out for you two." She said. She turned to Rin and smiled. "I'm Kaiko by the way."

She nodded. "Nice to meet you." She mumbled.

Rin began to gather what little items she had. She only possessed her school uniform and school bag. Her decision to travel with Kaiko and Mikuo may have been rash, but she felt she had made the right choice. She didn't know how long she'd be stuck in this mirrored world, it would be best if she stuck close to people who understood this world more than she did. Besides, she felt an odd sense of attachment being with the mirror-images of the people she trusted most.

Yes, while her decision may have been rash, she was willing to do anything to find her other half. If she failed to find him, she knew she'd never feel whole again.


	3. Her Research On The New World

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 3: Her Research On The New World**

It had been two weeks since Rin decided to tour with the two mirror images. As Mikuo had warned, traveling was tough. Rin had once traveled with her mother to the country side, but that was nothing compared to this. The weather in this mirrored world was unpredictable. Some days, it was Everest cold. Her clothes were thin and couldn't protect her from the frigid weather. On other days it was Sahara hot. The high temperature was harsh enough for Rin to have a heat stroke. They would travel long miles without rest, it was hell on Rin's untrained body. She was constantly out of breath, her whole body would ache from exhaustion, and she would received constant migraines from her will to carry on, but she tried not to complain, she didn't want to slow the others down.

It wasn't all bad. She was slowly starting to get used to the harsh conditions of travel. She was even starting to develop a sort of friendship with Kaiko and Mikuo. Creating friendly bonds with other people was a rare occurrence with Rin, but somehow she managed. When they would camp out for the night, Mikuo would lend her his spare sword and they would spar the night away. It wasn't only for fun, he would teach her ways on defending herself and techniques on defeating an enemy. Apparently, the world wasn't very safe and she would never know when she'd come into conflict. On the days she'd spend with Kaiko, she would teach her about the many different types on herbs in this world. She would help her differentiate the poisonous herbs from the edible ones. She even showed herbs that would help heal certain types of sicknesses. Rin decided to write her new found knowledge in her notebook. It was as if she was back in school.

Speaking of which, Rin had missed a lot school. It would take many sleepless nights for her to catch up to everyone. She wondered if anyone noticed her absence. Did they even know she missing? Miku knew of course, she had been the one to witness her disappearance, but what about her mother? She shook her head. It was best not to think about it. She had no control over her situation after all.

Rin's discovery of this new world had inspired her to document her findings. When the trio would take a small rest, Rin would take the opportunity to write in one of her spare notebooks.

_Research on the "New World"_

1. _Relationships in my world are not necessarily alike in the mirrored world._

Rin was curious of the relationship Kaiko and Mikuo shared. Were they lovers like Kaito and Miku? She had asked the question late in the evening. They were all huddled by the campfire, their only source of heat in the frigid night. "So, are you two together?" She asked, trying her best to sound nonchalant about the question.

Kaiko gave her a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"Are you two...um, lovers?"

They stared at each other for a moment, before they burst out into laughter. "Me and _her_? I would never lower my standards to such a level."

Kaiko rolled her eyes, ignoring his insult. "We're just childhood friends. I have a fiancé back at the Capitol. We're to wed next winter." Her eyes gleamed in admiration. "His name is Meito. He's a city doctor and he's just so absolutely wonderful." She cooed.

"I'm far superior...in looks at least." He bragged.

She hit the backside of his head. "No one was asking for your opinion." She snapped.

2. _Land dominates Water in the mirrored world.__  
_

It was her third day of travel. Not only was Rin exhausted, but she was dehydrated as well. The sky was clear, and not a cloud occupying the crystal beauty could dim the sun's light, or its heat.

Her breathing was starting to grow heavy. _Damn it_, she thought. She couldn't feel her legs. She was begging to feel lightheaded and her vision started to blur. She knew it wouldn't be long before she blacked out. Rin tried her best to fight it. She didn't want to appear weak in front of Kaiko and Mikuo who seemed to handle the heat well, but it was no good. It was as if the world began to tumble in her sights, and before she knew it, she fainted.

...

"...Rin."

"..Rin."

Her head began to stir. Who was calling her?

"Rin!"

Cold water splashed on her face, immediately waking her back into conciseness. She wiped her eyes as she hacked painful coughs. Watered had entered both her nose and lungs. It was not a friendly feeling.

"Are you okay?" Kaiko asked as Mikuo twisted the cap of his water pouch.

"I'm fine." She breathed. "Just a little dehydrated."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Mikuo snapped.

She flinched at his tone. "W-well, I know we don't have much water." She mumbled. "I didn't want to bother you."

He sighed. "It's fine." He said handing her a spare water pouch. "Kaiko and I can manage."

"Next time, let us know." warned Kaiko in a gentler tone. "You should be more open with us. We will be traveling together for a long time after all." She smiled.

"O-okay." She bit on her bottom lip. She hated being treated like a child. She was about the same age as her companions. It was humiliating. She knew they had hinted it...but she didn't want to rely on them. Rin knew they'd only see her as a burden. She already felt like dead weight back in her world, she wouldn't make the same mistake in this world.

3. _The times are different between my world and the mirrored world._

"Wha-what year is it?" Rin asked, shivering. It was a brisk summer morning. Rin hated traveling in the mornings. It was like spending a night out in the desert. It was unbelievably cold. She even spotted white breath as she spoke.

"846." Mikuo said. He didn't bother questioning Rin's curiosity. She would always ask him the most obvious of questions. He figured he should simply answer her rather than ask about her lack of knowledge.

4. _No form of electronics are used in this world._

Rin knew it wouldn't work, but she tried anyway. Kaiko and Miku were asleep, Rin made sure they were when she got up. She quietly pulled the covers, careful not to make a sound as she tip-toed away. She had taken her school bag with her, traveling deep within the woods. Once she was far enough, she sat on a thick patch of grass. She undid the buckles of her bag, dumping out the contents inside.

Rin searched for her phone. It was hidden under her fallen notebooks. She grabbed it, turning it on as she waited in anticipation. When she was brought to the home screen she checked her signal bar, disappointed to find none. She sighed. "Of course, what did I expect?"

5. _Clothing/Culture is different from my world._

Rin had realized this once she realized she was in a mirrored world. She was in Japan, but at the same time she wasn't, therefore the culture was different, the clothing was different, and the people were different. This mirrored world looked a bit westernized, with the knighthood and monarchy, the dresses and tunics, and the religion. Rin didn't know much about the religion, all she knew was the fact that the "Yamis" people didn't believe in a god, but a goddess.

Rin was still vaguely aware of the different cultures of this world, but she knew she would learn more about it as she traveled the―

"What are you writing?" Mikuo asked during their rest.

"Huh?"

The sun had reached it's peak. It was noon, they would soon break for lunch. As usual, Rin had used this time to write her findings. There was always something new to discover. Rin was never an avid learner, but to pick up on something so new―so unknown to her was, well...fascinating.

"You always seem to be writing something with that strange...quill?" He said referring to her mechanical pencil. "What do you write about?"

"Um, nothing really." She wasn't about to admit she was writing everything she knew about her findings. After all, Rin was an alien to this world. How would Kaiko and Mikuo even react if she told them she didn't belong here? Would they be frightened from the abnormality? Would they go their separate ways? Would they even believe her?

No, she wouldn't tell them. Even if she _was_ starting to develop some sort of friendship with her companions, she had to remember she was traveling with them for a reason. She wouldn't risk opening herself up to them. She still needed them to find Len.

"Mikuo, Rin!" Kaiko squealed. She waved her arms in excitement as she sprinted towards them.

Mikuo stood up, dusting his backside. "Kaiko, where did you run off to?"

She was out of breath. "There's a small town, it's just a mile from here. It has an inn and everything."

"That's great. I was begging to get sick of your cooking." He sighed, relief swelling in his chest. "Ah, but we should carry our own water. That glass of water from the previous inn cost us a fortune." He grew angry as he remembered the owner's cheapness. "Didn't you say there was a well not far from here?"

She nodded. "There's not a lot water, but it's just enough."

The three travelers headed south, finding the well practically hidden by the vines and bushes surrounding it. By the the thick layer of dust on the rope, Rin could tell this well hadn't been used for a long while. She began to pull on the rope as Mikuo popped the caps off the empty water pouches. The pulley made a harsh screeching noise as the bucket lowered. She winced, trying her best to ignore the earsplitting clamor.

A long minute past. The bucket hadn't even touched the surface of the water. She paused. She leaned into the well, squinting into the empty darkness. Was there any water in at all? She knew this world was deprived of water, but this was taking it too far. She lowered the pail at a faster rate. _Come on_. She was growing impatient.

Kaiko who had been observing her in silence, finally opened her mouth to speak. "Rin, you should be careful. You don't want to acc―"

Things seemed to happen slowly from there. Rin's hands had slipped away from the rope. It was the only thing keeping her aloft. Her eyes widened as her body fell forward, falling into the well.

"Rin!"

She didn't know who called out to her. Blood rushed through her ears, she couldn't hear a thing. Fear had taken over her. She was _falling_. Was she going to die? Would she drown, or was the water too shallow that she'd simply fall to her death?

Her life flashed through her eyes. No good memories had appeared. All she saw were her dark painful times in life. Every mistake she made, all her regrets. They came at her all at once. It hurt. Her vision blurred with tears. Was this how she was going to remember herself in her last moments? As the weak, feeble person she was? How sad.

When she met Len―when she thought she was going to die, in her heart she was determined to change. She didn't want to be the type of person that would forever be misunderstood by others, weak-willed, and kept her true thoughts and feelings to herself. She had the chance to change in the new world, but in the end she was still the same incompetent Rin.

She was reaching the end. She could see herself reflected off the shallow well. She looked weak with her fearful, tear stained face. Rin was only seconds away from her impending death.

"I..I don't want to die." She cried.

With only millimeters away from impact, a brilliant green light lit from beneath the surface. It surrounded Rin, and in an instant, she disappeared from the mirrored world.


	4. Her Return

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 4: Her Return**

She fell hitting _not_ the shallow end of the of the well, but the dirty floor of the girls' bathroom. She groaned as the pain from her fall resonated throughout her body. She'd fallen head first, the rest of her body soon following afterwards. She blinked, slowly rising from her position. Where was she? Her mind was still fuzzy from her travel. Rin stood up, observing her surroundings. Dirty marble flooring, cracked ceiling, faint pink colored walls, and the third broken stall on the right. This was the girls' bathroom alright. "I'm back." She said breathlessly.

Rin had returned, but how? All she remembered was falling down the well, her final thoughts, then her tear-strained _reflection_...of course! She turned to the mirror, the very source of it all. She met a pair of disappointed cerulean eyes that faintly recognized the feminine frame of Rin reflected off the glass. Len was nowhere to be seen. He really was gone.

She placed a hand on the cool glass. As happy as she was to be back home, she couldn't shake off the feeling of regret and unsatisfaction clenching at her heart. She hadn't forgotten the reason she was sent to the mirrored world. She had yet to find Len, or the destiny he'd mentioned. How could she return home when she felt so _empty_.

She bit at the inside of her cheek. What now? Should she go back? But how? Besides her connection with the mirror, she had no idea how to return to the other world. Rin turned to the door. Should she just live as she always had until a mirror or reflection summoned her? They seemed to have minds of their own, surely they'd know when to send her to the other world. She clenched her fists. Yes, that sounded like a plan.

After exiting the bathroom, Rin checked the school's clock. It was half past ten. Class was already in session. She was late.

Rin paused in front of the door of her classroom. She was changed into her gym uniform since her school uniform along with the rest of her belongings were left back in the mirrored world. Frozen, she wondered if entering the class was really a good idea. She had been gone for weeks without any sort of explanation. Appearing out of the blue seemed unwise.

She shook her head. No! She was only giving herself an excuse to turn back. She took a deep breath. If anyone asked, she was stricken with grief due to the death of a close relative. Now determined, Rin gripped on the handle, sliding the door open. She averted her eyes away from the few curious stares of her classmates as she entered the room. She was overwhelmed with nerves as she walked stiffly towards her seat.

"Rin, why are you―" Her teacher began, but was rudely interrupted by the loud shift of a desk and chair.

Miku stood up, shocked to see her classmate alive and well. "Rin!"

She stiffened. How could she forget? She still had to clear things up with Miku. But what would she tell her? The truth? No. As much as Rin would've loved to open herself up to Miku, she knew she would never believe her if she told her the truth. She wouldn't have believe in herself if she weren't the one to go through the experience.

Miku grabbed her, unwillingly dragging her out of the classroom. Their teacher called out to them, but Miku pretended not to hear as she lead Rin upstairs to the school's abandoned hallway. Rin swallowed knowing confrontation awaited her. Her mind raced. What would she say? She had to be careful with her words. Miku was a hard one to shake off, so she thought of the few logical reasons why she'd travel through a mirror. There were none.

Time was running out. She had to think of something. Her forehead beaded with sweat from the pressure. They were soon approaching their destination. Closer...closer...closer...

"What's going on, Rin?" Miku asked in a stern tone. "What happened to you?"

Rin looked away. She didn't have the heart to face her. "What are you talking about, Miku?"

"Please, don't play dumb. I saw it all." She breathed. "That light...the strange pair of hands...the mirror. I saw it." She began to feel less and less sure of herself as she spoke. Despite Miku's bubbly hopeful nature, she was a realist. She realized that voicing her sentence completely went against her beliefs. It left a bitter taste in her mouth. To go through a mirror? Ridiculous. "Just tell me the truth. What happened?"

Rin's heart rate quickened. What would she say? Her classmate was desperate for answers, and hers weren't good enough. But if she couldn't tell the truth then what was she supposed to do? Lie?

She thought for a moment. If Rin were to tell the truth, Miku would definitely believe she was insane. While Rin's self discovery in the mirrored world had proved that she was mentally stable, that didn't mean others couldn't still _think_ she was crazy. It was her greatest fear. She was already on the border with that conclusion. If Rin were to lie she'd be able to escape Miku's judgement, but it would come with a great cost.

Rin braced herself. In order for this to work she had to make sure her eyes appeared cold, her tone rude, and her breathing steady. "It was a prank." She said simply.

"H-huh? I don't understand―"

"You're right, you _don't _understand." She snapped.

Miku blinked, surprised by Rin's sudden change in attitude.

Rin breathed an exasperated sigh. "You really don't get it." She laughed. The sound was cold and bitter. "Let me put this into words you can understand: I. Hate. You. Always have. My subtle hints have gone over your head. Everything about you pisses me off. From your blatantly happy attitude to your unbelievably slow mentality." _I'm sorry Miku. _"For the longest time I've tried to break off this _acquaintanceship _of ours." _I've always appreciated your company. _"So I resorted to desperation." _I'm sorry. I want you to think well of me. I have no choice but to hurt you. _"I attempted to scare you off, but it seems you still don't understand the fact that I think you're a nuisance." _S__orry. _Her lie made no sense, but she knew by the harshness of her words, it was enough to hurt Miku into not thinking straight.

It was a long while before Miku spoke. She didn't look at her. She didn't want her to see the tears welling in her eyes. She laughed, but it was strained. "Aha, I'm sorry. I didn't know I was bothering you. I just wanted to try being your fri...end." Her voice cracked.

She ran away, leaving Rin to wallow in her own self-pity.

...

The rest of the school day had been a blur to her. Her teacher, Kiyoteru-sensei who felt sympathetic towards her situation gave her over thirty printouts to help her catch up in his classes. Rin held onto the thick bundle of papers under her arm as she exited the school courtyard. She sighed. She had a long night of work ahead of her.

Just as Rin was about to walk through the school gates, from the corner of her eye she spotted a bright flash of azure heading in her direction. She pursed her lips. She hoped it was just her imagination. She didn't want to hurt anymore people.

Alas, it was as she expected. The tall boy with short azure hair and deep blue eyes approached her with a grin. "Hello Rin―"

She kept her expression stone cold as she walked right past him.

Rin bit on her bottom lip. She felt so ashamed of herself. Twice during two near death experiences she with all her heart wanted to change, but the way she saw it, Rin was only taking two steps back.

* * *

Rin woke up only one hour into her sleep. She had worked without rest until two a.m. Her brain had worn itself out, and her fingers had gone numb from the long hold on her pencil, but she had finally finished her work. She would have felt proud and achieved from completing her task, but her desire for sleep had overpowered her.

Her breathing was unsteady, she was sweating, and her clothes stuck uncomfortably close to her body. She had just woken up from a bad dream, but she'd forgotten the horrors she had dreamt about. That was very unusual for a nightmare. What ever she dreamed about must have been dreadful, she was still shivering in fear.

Rin groggily got out of bed. She needed a shower. She couldn't go back to sleep while feeling so dirty. Rin walked into the bathroom, and stripped the sticky clothing away from her body. She turned on the taps and jumped in, standing still as she let the warm water wash away her filth. Rin stayed in the bath for a long while. It was only until she saw the deep pruning of her fingers did she finally leave the shower.

Now wrapped around a towel, Rin looked for pajamas. She had worn her last pair and she hadn't stared on her laundry, but she had washed the blue dress she borrowed from Kaiko. She found it in the dryer down in her basement. She slipped it on, straightening out the wrinkles with her hands. It wasn't exactly pajama wear, but it was comfortable enough to sleep in.

Rin headed back upstairs, passing the mirror in the living room. She paused, giving her reflection a sideways glance. An abrupt pain of loneliness clenched at her heart. The feeling came unexpectedly. It wasn't until now did she realize how alone she was. She had ridded herself of two possible friendships, and now she didn't have her reflection―Len to keep her company.

She didn't want to feel like this anymore. She didn't want to be left in solitude. She sighed. This was depressing. She wanted to head back to bed and go back to sleep. Her mind was free of worries in her unconscious state. Rin stretched as she held back a yawn. Yes, sleep was the best thing for her right now.

Just as Rin was about to turn away, a dim jade lighting shone from her mirror. She swallowed a lump in her throat. Was she being called back already? But she had only just returned. Not that she was one to complain but even so, it was very sudden and she was still so tired.

Rin sighed as she placed a cautious hand on the glass. The glowing grew stronger, brighter, and a powerful wind blew from within. Hair flew at her face as she was slowly blinded by the light. Her eyes were forced to a close. She could hear the wind. It made a loud whistling sound as it blew through her ears. When the wind and light reached its peak, they slowly started to fade as Rin's surroundings changed.

She slipped, hitting the back of her head. The wall of the well was splattered with a bit of blood as pain captured Rin. She slowly sunk into the knee-deep water, her vision slowly starting to blur as her eyes opened itself to darkness.

"Rin!" Kaiko's voice echoed. "We've returned with our equipment. Mikuo's coming to get you now."

Oh that's right. Rin was still trapped at the bottom at the well. It was a miracle she was still alive. She squinted in the darkness. If she had really fallen head first into the shallow water, well...the water would've been too contaminated with her blood to ever drink again.

Her lids grew heavy from fatigue. She heard a loud zipping noise grow louder and louder, the sound echoing in the well. She wondered where the noise was coming from. She wasn't curious for long. She soon found its source. It was Mikuo. He wore a harness, his hands were tightly gripped around a thick rope. His palms burned a bright pink from the friction. He had slid down at a fast rate.

He turned to her, observing her closely.

She too stared at him blankly. A long silence stood between them.

She blinked.

Mikuo breathed a sigh of relief. "So you're alive." He extended his arm out to her. "Say so next time."

A returning pain seized Rin's heart when she met those familiar teal orbs. Tears welled in her eyes as she reached out to him. Their hands clasped. Mikuo pulled her up, holding her over his shoulder. He tugged on the rope. "Kaiko, bring us up." They were pulled up at a steady rate while Rin tried to retain her blushing. She was held in such an embarrassing position. She felt as if she were a sack of potatoes.

It was a long while before they felt the touch of moonlight on their skin. Kaiko helped pulled them out. Mikuo and Rin were both out of breath. The air was very thin down in the well.

"Are you two alright?"

Mikuo nodded then turned to Rin. "And you?"

She stood up, dizziness immediately taking over her. Her body swayed. She was about to faint, but Mikuo caught her before she could fall. "Sorry." She mumbled. "I'm just tired."

Mikuo placed a hand on the back of her head. She winced. "Is this...blood?" He asked noticing the small red stain on his fingertips.

"Blood!?" Gasped Kaiko. "Did you hit your head when you fell?" She turned to Mikuo. "Is she going to die?" She whispered.

He gave Rin a worrisome look before he glared at Kaiko. "_Shh._"

"What? I was just..."

Rin's heart panged in jealousy. Her two companions Kaiko and Mikuo were _arguing_. Of course they could easily bicker with each other. It showed their closeness, and their friendship. Something Rin didn't have.

She fell on her knees causing the mirror images to pause on their quarrel. "Rin," said Kaiko. "are you―"

She interrupted her. "Kaiko...Mikuo." She said in a defeated tone. "Will you be my friends?" She clenched her fists. She would normally never be so bold, but she desperately longed for a friendship, a connection with someone―anyone. At this point, it didn't matter if it was Kaito and Miku or Kaiko and Mikuo. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

Kaiko and Mikuo grew silent. It made Rin uncomfortable. Had she made things awkward by asking the question? After exchanging looks, Mikuo turned to her. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

She flinched, the pain of his words were apparent on her face.

He raised a brow at her. "We're friends already, aren't we?"

She blinked. "Eh?"

He shook his head. "Honestly, you've been traveling with us for this long and you haven't realized this yet?"

Rin turned away, wiping the tears out of her eyes. As usual, Mikuo was harsh, but his words had made her happy.

"Mikuo!" Kaiko yelled. "You made her cry."

"Huh? So it's _my _fault?"

Rin's bottom lips quivered before she let out a laugh. She was wet, she was tired, her head was in pain and a bit blood was still seeping through her wound. Despite all this, she was overjoyed, and so she continued to laugh. It would be one of the few happy moments of her life in the mirrored world before she would one day come to understand her true destiny―the true meaning of her existance.


	5. The Dark Lord

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 5: The Dark Lord**

"I dare you to repeat that again." The King muttered with a murderous intent.

The travel knight flinched at the tone of his voice. He stood one knee, his eyes averting his gaze as he placed a false interest in his Master's jewel embedded foot wear. The two resided in one of many of the King's castles, he had at least one in every city, none were as big or as grand as his castle in the Yamis Capitol, but the buildings sufficed. For now.

The King, or as many of the peasants secretly called _The Dark "Lord"_ (an insult to his royal status) sat in his large velvet red throne. He wore a rich jade robe, woven from the silk of the rare Sita spider. A large ruby with platinum interlace hung by the left of his earlobe, and his jewel encrusted crown rested aloft his head. It never left his side since the day of his crowning two years ago. There wasn't a day that'd go by where the King would look anything less than extravagant.

The knight swallowed. "Oh, ever so gracious King." He began, complimenting him to help ease his anger. "I have failed you."

But sweet words weren't enough for him. "What did I ask you to do?"

"To...to find the children that crossed your path and eliminate them?" He said making it sound more like a question rather than a statement.

"And do you know why I was so calm the first time I gave you that order?" He leaned back in his throne, crossing his arms firmly over his chest. He was displeased.

The knight kept his head down, a drop of his sweat fell from his nose, landing on the polished marble flooring. His face grew hot. He knew he was done for. "B-because you believed I could finish the task."

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Right, and do you know what happens when knights such as yourself fail in the simplest of tasks?"

He gasped. The man lifted his head meeting a pair of unbelievably cold blue eyes. "But your highness, we placed Suzumiya under temporary lock down. My men and I searched every square inch of the city. Those two were nowhere to be found. They must have escaped before our wide search." He gulped as he watched his King's fists shake with fury. In a calmer tone he said, "Please, I beg of your grace to please let this go. It's already been a month. They probably disappeared to a far off land by now." He hoped he didn't sound like an enemy sympathizer. It was not that the knight cared for the children he was ordered to hunt down, but it was for his own safety. He knew at this point in time there was no way he could find his targets. He could only pray to the goddess that his King could let go of the bearing grudge he held in his heart, just so he could live for another day.

"How dare you." He spat. "Never in my life have I been faced with such insolence. Do you expect me to forgive peasants' mockery?"

"No! Never!"

"Then why―"

He was interrupted by the sound of the door creak open. A sullen looking boy with short ebony hair and bright yellow eyes entered the room. He tried to hide the smile that threatened to appear on his usually expressionless face when he observed the angered royal. Seeing his enraged King always brought him with an odd sense of joy in his dull life. "Am I interrupting something?" He asked, looking between the two.

He sighed. "As a matter of fact you are. Leave."

"Well, aren't you as cold as ever." The boy said, casually walking to his side. "_Len_."

The knight's eyes widened while the King's narrowed. To speak a royal's name so informally was unheard of. Even if you were the cousin of the King. "_Rei_." He growled, his eyes flaming."Get. Out."

He backed away. While tormenting his cousin was a hobby of his, he knew when to lay low. He was well aware of his position, and Len's. "Sorry. Continue your meeting." He said. The humorous tone in his voice had disappeared. "Pretend I'm not even here."

He turned to the knight. "Now, for your punishment..." He snapped his fingers. It was quick motion and the sound was barley audible, but in that instant two guards entered the throne room. They grabbed the knight by both arms and began to drag him away. He kicked and screamed as if he were a child being denied sweets, but it wasn't the absence of a sugary treat that got him restless, but his fate of execution.

Len smiled at the sight of his struggle. Watching fear shine bright in his servants' eyes was a guilty pleasure of his. Knowing he had the power to punish the men and women of his Kingdom for their mistakes made his insides tingle with warmth. It really was good to be King.

"Please!" He screamed. "Your highness, please give me another chance. I still remember what the run-aways look like."

He pretended not to hear as he checked for dirt under his perfectly clean nails.

He tried to fight off his captors. "It was a girl and a boy." He said, still trying to hold on to dear life. "The girl was short. She had blonde hair that was held back by a large white bow. She wore whore-like clothing as well. Her skirt barley reached her knees." He breathed.

His heart clenched. He had heard the criminal's description many times before, and every time he did he would feel a strange sense of familiarity and recognition. He couldn't shake the feeling off. It was strange. He never met anyone fitting such a description before.

"The boy had hair that was as long as a woman's. He had bright teal eyes. He looked to be around sixteen to twenty years of age."

Len rolled his eyes at his desperate cling of life.

"He was a swordsman with excellent skills in―"

Rei who had been listening to the knight's ramble opened his mouth to speak. "What did you say?"

Everyone including Len turned to him. The knight had even stopped his rustle. "My Lord?"

"What. Did. You. Say." He snapped. "About the swordsman?"

"He...has teal eyes and his hair is as long as a woman's?"

He bit on his thumbnail, he seemed unsure of something. It was a rare expression seen on Rei's face. He shook his head then pointed at a stand-by maid. "You." He said pointing at her. "Fetch me paper and a quill." He ordered. "Hurry."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Who are you to order _my _servants..." He began to lecture his older cousin when he trailed off. He had never seen Rei like this before. His eyebrows were knit, his bottom lip quivered, and sweat beaded on the top of his forehead. He looked nervous, scared even.

The maid soon returned soon with the supplies. She bowed in King Len's presence before presenting the materials to Rei. He took the ruff paper and inked his quill before drawing quick scribbles on the page. This went on for a long moment until Rei placed his quill down. He walked towards the travel knight, showing him the sketch. "Did he look similar to this?"

The Knight blinked. "Y-yes! Just like that."

Len raised a brow in curiosity. "Who is it?" How did Rei know of this swordsman?

Rei showed him the sketch. His eyes widened in surprise, but they soon narrowed in spite. "Hatsune Mikuo." His voice quivered from rage. He knew him. He knew him quite well actually. "I should have known." He rose from his seat, walking down three steps till he stood on the marble flooring. "That bastard." He had left him alone for the most part, but for that criminal to humiliate him without his knowing...well that was taking it too far.

The knight looked between Len and Rei, hoping for some sort of explanation. Who was this Mikuo, and what had he done to receive the King's disfavor? More importantly, how did he manage to survive with the King bearing such negative feelings towards him? He wanted to ask, but he could only speak when spoken to, and so far he wasn't doing a good job at that.

"Rei, lets go."

"Go where?"

"We're going to track Mikuo down of course."

"But you have no way of knowing where he is."

He smiled deviously. "He's heading to the capital. I'm sure of it. Our paths are bound to cross." Their mutual hate for each other was the only thing that connected them, and what brought him to his sights.

Rei decided not to argue with him, not when his younger cousin had _that _look in his eye. He knew there was no stopping him. He supposed he had always been this way, listening to no other opinion but his own. Standing by one's decision was a good quality to have in a ruler, Len had avoided becoming a "puppet king" like the few rulers that had come before him. They were easily influenced by the opinions of those below their royal status. Everyone expected Len to turn out the same with him taking the crown at the young age of fourteen, but they had all been proven wrong. Len had become the opposite, which was actually much worse. Rei knew if he didn't change that ignorant attitude of his, it would one day bring him to his downfall.

He sighed. Who would be the one to tell Len? Him? While he was the closest to the King, there were certain borders he could never cross. The way in which he ruled the country was one of them. If anyone were to cross this boundary, it would mean certain death. There were no exceptions. Not even for him.

"You." Len said turning to the travel Knight. "What's your name?"

His mouth was agape. The King actually wanted to know his name? The Knight cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "Merle."

Len observed him closely. He was an excellent combat fighter, and while his personality was lacking, Merle was an interesting looking fellow. He had light copper skin, sea blue eyes, and short violet colored hair. He was lean, but it was his armor that hid his well trained muscles. "Well, Merle. You are to travel with us. While you are a lousy tracker, you are at least decent Knight. I'll need your protection."

His eyes lit. "Yes, of course your highness." He breathed a sigh of relief when the guards finally released him.

"Don't relax just yet." He scoffed. "Remember this: fail me again and I'll kill you on the spot."

He nodded. "I understand."

"Now, go prepare the horses. I'll be traveling as a peasant instead of a King." The sentence pained him. To position himself to anything less than his royal status was infuriating. Mikuo would pay for this.

Len's eyes expressed nothing but raw anger. _Mikuo, I will hunt you down. I will destroy you everyone you care about. I swear it._

* * *

Mikuo dropped his fork, the utensil clanging loudly against his plate. A cold shiver had run down his spine. No, it was as if he was momentarily consumed by negative energy. He frowned. He had a bad feeling about this.

He, Rin, and Kaiko ate in the village's crowded tavern. The food was delicious, but Mikuo couldn't enjoy it due to his irrational fear of what had to be _nothing_.

"Mikuo, are you alright?" Rin asked noticing his discomfort. Her head had already been bandaged and treated by the village doctor, and after changing into dry clothes and getting some rest, the three travelers decided to get some breakfast the next morning.

Mikuo forced a smile. "I'm fine." At least he thought he was.


	6. His Worry

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 6: His Worry**

Rin, Kaiko and Mikuo had stayed for two nights in the small village of Rojin. Rin wondered how long the three of them would remain in the village before they'd continue with their travels. They were still a long ways away from their destination. Rin hadn't asked though. As eager as she was to arrive to the Capitol and find Len, she still preferred the comfort of shelter and a warm bed, even if it was stiff.

Rin walked on the streets of the town. She was in the middle of a small market place. It bustled with people. She was a bit weary of the strangers around her. Besides her friends and the appearance of the royal knights, she hadn't seen many people in this world. To think that every one of these citizens were a mirrored image of the people in her world made her feel uneasy. She sighed. _Get used to it already_. Who knows how long she'd stay here this time.

She quickened her pace. She was running a bit late. Rin was supposed to meet Kaiko and Mikuo for lunch at the local tavern. Once she reached the end of the market she turned down the left of the street where she found the empty inn. She pushed through the door, entering the building. She was hit with the sweet smell of cinnamon and burning wood upon her arrival.

She looked around for her friends, spotting Kaiko sitting by the corner of the room. She approached her, taking a seat in the empty chair in front of her. Kaiko looked up, greeting her with a warm smile once she noticed her presence. "Hello."

"Hey." She gave a quick glance around the tavern. "Where's Mikuo?"

She rolled her eyes. "He's hitting on some poor girl again." She said motioning to the bar area behind Rin.

Rin followed her gaze, finding Mikuo sitting on one of the stools. He leaned close over the the counter as he gave a rather _seductive_ look to a small girl with short, sterling silver hair. Rin could spot a bit of blush on the girl's pale cheeks as he spoke to her. "Utatane Pika? Such a lovely name for such a lovely young lady such as yourself." He winked.

Rin knit her brows at his actions. She had heard Mikuo was quite the flirt during their travels, but she hadn't believed it, not until today.

Rin continued to watch the scene unfold in front of her, but it wasn't long before a tall red-haired man came out of the kitchen. He looked between Mikuo and the Pika girl then lashed out at her companion. Mikuo stood up refusing to go down without a fight. He'd said something that Rin couldn't quite make out. The red-haired man soon retorted to Mikuo's statement, which caused him to raise his arms out in surrender and walk away from the pair.

Mikuo walked towards their table. He took a seat beside Rin, breathing a heavy sigh in defeat.

"What's the matter?" Kaiko sneered. "Did she reject you?"

"_No_." He snapped. "She was already married." He shook his head. "I swear. Girls seem to wed younger and younger every year."

Rin and Kaiko gave him a look.

"_Anyway_." said Kaiko. "I thought it'd be a good idea for us to know exactly how our travel will turn out." She presented a large map of the Yamis country. On it, it showed the many different provinces and cities of the large area. Kaiko pulled out a sharp ink pen and pointed out Rojin village. "While we're currently in Rojin village, we still have a long way to go before we get to the Capitol." She inked the very middle of the map, their destination.

Rin couldn't help but feel a great sense of dread. She hadn't noticed until it had been laid out in front of her, but they still had a long way to go. A month's travel from Suzumiya to Rojin seemed like nothing compared to what they had left.

"At this rate, we wont make it before winter hits. We've been delayed long enough and we don't have an endless supply of money. I think we should go by another means of travel. It'll cost us about half of what we have, but it'll get us to the Capitol by our dead line."

"You don't have to do that, Kaiko." Mikuo said quietly. "I can always pawn off my sword. I hear it worth quite a bit."

Her eyes widened. "But that's..." Her eyes lowered as she trailed off. "Don't do it."

Rin looked between them in confusion. What were they talking about?

"I have other swords, Kaiko." He snapped. "You should know best. No one lives through travel during the winter."

Kaiko flinched at his words.

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." He stood up. "When I return, let's get a carriage and get out of this place. I have a bad feeling about this town."

When he left, Rin turned to Kaiko. "Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Did...did something happen between you two?" She sensed an unresolved conflict emanating between them.

She shook her head. "I'll tell you one day." She tried to smile as she held on to her hand. "Just not today."

* * *

Mikuo hadn't felt like himself since his arrival to Rojin village. He felt uneasy. Something was eating away at his insides and he didn't know what. He felt something was...off. Was it the town? It seemed normal enough. Stall owners trying to sell their produce, children running around and laughing with no care in the world, and parents trying to catch up to those children. The peaceful scene would have brought a smile to his face if it weren't for his unexplained agony.

He shook his head, deciding to look for a pawn shop instead of drowning in his irrationality. He saw one earlier in the day. Now if only he could remember where...Ah, there it was. He spotted it down at the end of the street, in a secluded part of the town. He walked into the shop finding a bored looking old man sitting behind the counter.

"Hey, old man." He began. "How much for my sword?" He unhinged his sword from his belt and placed it on the counter.

He stood up, taking the weapon. He unsheathed the sword, his eyes widening at the sight. "This is...how did you get hold of it?"

He rolled his eyes. "Let's not ask questions. Now how much is it worth?"

"...Three thousand gold coins."

The high price didn't faze him. "Do I look like an idiot to you?"

He clicked his tongue. "Fine. Ten thousand, but not a coin more." He placed the precious sword on the very top of his weaponry display. "I'll be back with your money." He said walking to the back of his store.

Mikuo stared at his sword, his _father's_ sword as he waited. It took every fiber of his being to not grab the sword and run away right then and there. He would dearly miss the sword that he held so close to his heart, but it was for the best. It was for their survival. Kaiko knew they couldn't survive on half of what they had. To think she would even suggest such a thing was ridiculous. He clenched his fist. He had to do this.

The pawn shop owner came back with a heavy sack of money. "Here you go."

Mikuo hauled the bag over his shoulders. "Thanks," He turned to walk away when he stopped. He gave the man a sideways glance. His face was stone cold. "but if I find out that you cheated me with even _one_ coin...I'm coming for you old man."

"I've been running an honest business for over twenty-five years." He spat.

He nodded, leaving the store.

The elder shook his head. "Brat." He made a face, realizing he felt a sense of familiarity from his meeting with the boy. He couldn't help but feel like he'd seen his face before.

Mikuo stepped outside, squinting his eyes as the bright sunlight shone over him. He knew it would be scorching tonight. Well he wouldn't have to worry about that anymore. They'd have a carriage to shade them from the sun, and wind blowing in their hair thanks to the speed of their horses. Mikuo felt relief to know they'd be leaving the town soon. He headed back to the tavern, passing his wanted poster. He wanted hurry and purchase their supplies. The sooner they had their things, the sooner they'd get out of here.

He stopped in his tracks.

Wanted poster?

He paced backwards, meeting with his picture. Mikuo quickly looked around his surroundings before he tore the paper from the wall. He read the poster with a desperate gleam in his eye.

**WANTED:**

**Mikuo Hatsune.**

**Age: 17**

**Felony: Crimes Against Humanity**

**Bounty: 20,000,000 Gold ****Coins**

**(Needed Alive)**

**Accomplices found with Mikuo Hatsune **

**are also wanted (alive)  
**

**WANTED**

He ripped the paper into bits. Who had posted this? He looked around for any suspicious beings when he met a pair of angered sea blue eyes. "You!" He glared throwing the bundle of Wanted Posters under his arm down to the ground. He ran over to Mikuo at a fast rate, while Mikuo just stood still wondering where he'd seen the man before.

A memory popped in Mikuo's head. One back in Suzumiya City, where he met Rin. Now he remembered. He was the knight who tried to execute her. What was he doing here of all places? Wasn't he supposed to be back in the Capitol with..._Len_. Of course. He was such an idiot for not seeing it sooner. How could he ever think that royal could ever let anything go? "That bastard." He muttered under his breath.

"Dammit." He cursed, realizing he should be running away. He needed to hurry and find Rin and Kaiko. He ran, the heavy sack of gold slowing him down. He held on to it tightly, refusing to let go of it as he ran. Their lives hung on that money. _Damn that Len_. Crimes against humanity? If anything he was the opposite, but of course Len just _had_ to make him look like the enemy.

It wouldn't be long before the citizens of the village would notice the wanted posters stuck all around town. He needed to leave this place quickly. He should have left a long time ago. He knew something was wrong with this place. Len was in it.

He made it into the tavern, relieved to see Kaiko and Rin still in their seats. He arrived at their table tired and out of breath. "Rin...Kaiko...we need to leave..._now_."

"Mikuo, what's the matter?" Asked Kaiko.

"Don't ask questions. Let just get our carriage and go."

The knight burst through the door. "Your highness...that is...uh...sir! I've found him!"

"Dammit, no time. Come on."

Rin and Kaiko followed him out the back door where the three made a run for it. Just ask Mikuo asked, Rin decided not to ask questions. She had never seen Mikuo look so scared before. She ran as fast as she could, all while trying to dodge civilians. A difficult task to manage. She quickly grew tired, and her lungs hurt with every breath she took. It was hard catching up to Kaiko and Mikuo's normal speed.

"Don't think you can escape, Mikuo." A person yelled.

Rin stopped mid-pace. _That voice_. It couldn't be? Could it?

Just as she was about to turn around, two hands covered her eyes, blocking her vision. "Don't look at him." A voice whispered sharply.

Mikuo?

"If he sees your face once, he'll remember it forever."

Rin gulped. "Who is that?"

"That's the King of Yamis. The Dark Lord."

Before Rin could further question the presence of "The Dark Lord" Mikuo pulled her away, moving on with their escape. The three of them exited the town, making their way over a bridge, under it rested a deep river, well what remained of it.

"Halt!" The copper skinned man yelled. "Halt, or I'll have your heads."

Mikuo stopped. His hand reached over for his sword. He stopped realized he didn't have one. He turned to Rin. "Rin, where's the sword I gave you?"

"Uhh..." She unsheathed her sword from her back. "Here!" She said tossing it to him.

The knight approached them, armed and ready for battle. King Len was no where to be seen.

"Kaiko, Rin." Mikuo said quietly. "Run away. I'll take care of this guy."

"We're not going to leave you." Argued Rin. For once in her life, she wanted to be useful to someone. She didn't want to hide away and cower. She wanted to help Mikuo fight.

Kaiko placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, Rin. He's right. We'll only get in the way." She grabbed her by the wrist, ready to take her away from the scene, but Rin pulled her hand away.

"No I―" While the three travelers were arguing, the knight raised his sword preparing for a secret blow on Mikuo. "Mikuo watch out!" She yelled. He turned back to his opponent, but it was too late. Mikuo wouldn't be able to dodge the attack on time. Rin grit her teeth, and without sparing a second thought, she ran in-between them. In that instant, she pulled Mikuo aside, saving both their lives, but Rin had moved at a fast rate. She couldn't brake in time. She wanted to stop, but she couldn't. Rin tripped over the balcony of the bridge, dragging Mikuo down with her.

"Mikuo, Rin." Kaiko screamed, grabbing onto Mikuo's ankle, but she couldn't handle the weight of two people, so she too fell down with her companions.

Rin felt herself fall again after an abrupt stop. She knew nothing would cushion their fall. Rin shut her eyes tightly, as she waited for the collision, a seemingly good plan during what would become of a soon-to-be gruesome moment, but during her shut-eye moment she hadn't noticed the familiar jade light shine from the small puddle below them. A tornado-like wind blew, and in that moment, Rin, Kaiko, and Mikuo were all taken to the other world.

Rin's world.


	7. The Unexpected

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 7: The Unexpected**

"It was some sort of sorcery." Merle explained to King Len. "They fell...then there was a bright light and-and the wind. Oh, the wind. It was so strong, then they were just...gone." He was still in shock from the incident. He had never seen anything like that before. One of them had to be a magician. He had never believed their existence, not until now. What else could it be?

Len's expression had remained neutral throughout his Knight's fairy tale. He turned towards Rei. "Rei?"

"Yes, dear cousin?"

"Call one hundred of my soldiers to Rojin."

"Whatever for?"

"Mikuo's sword." He glared in the distance. "It's in the care of this village. He'd never leave without it. Someone must be harboring him." How dare these simple villagers harbor a fugitive? _They must have a death wish. _"And don't question my orders." He snapped.

Rei rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes." He pulled on the rein of his horse as he walked away.

Len's glare hardened. _You will pay, Rojin village_. Turning to his Knight, he said "As for you." He drew his sword, pointing it dangerously close to his flesh. He made a small cut, drawing a bit of blood from the edge of his jaw line. Merle gulped as he felt the tinted red liquid run down his neck. He became as still as a statue. He didn't dare move. He didn't want to deepen his wound.

"Your highness?" He felt a mix of fear and confusion.

"Did you think I was kidding?" He chuckled, but Merle could not sense even a bit of humor in his tone. "I said if you fail me again, I wouldn't hesitate to kill you on the spot." A spark of anger flashed in his eyes as his blade indented deeper into his flawless copper skin.

He trembled. "B-but the sorcery, a-and the light, and the wind! Didn't you hear me? There is a magician among them and..." He rambled on. He couldn't believe it. How could his King ignore his discovery?

Len smiled emptily. Merle weakly returned the grin, placing hope in the false beam of his. Relief swelled within him. Maybe he would be merciful, he thought. The King was known for his harsh rule and expectations, but maybe Merle would be an exception. He was the only Knight accompanying him in his travels. He wouldn't kill him of so easily...

"It's been a pleasure." He said with a false sweetness.

"Eh―"

In that instant, the Knight's head was decapitated from his body. It fell a few feet away from Len. Merle's body also fell soon afterward, making a hollow thumping noise as it landed on the ground. A pool of blood gathered from the wounds, creating a sickening smell of strong iron and rotting meat.

Len looked down upon the horrendous sight below him. "Trash." He muttered, walking away from the scene.

* * *

_I can't breath_. That was her first thought upon her arrival. She was laid on her back, her movement was slow, and when she opened her eyes she saw a blurring gray sky. The whites of her eyes burned when they opened, and that is when she realized she was in water. She held on to the last of her breath as she forced herself to get up, going against the heavy water pressure that crushed her.

A cold gust on wind blew when Rin was finally able to breath. She coughed wiping the water away from her eyes. She could hear small groans and coughs from behind her. That's when it all came rushing back. _Kaiko...Mikuo. _

"Kaiko, Mikuo!" She called. "Are you alright?"

"Yes...I think so." Kaiko said as Mikuo helped her up. "But where are we?"

"What are you talking about―" She stopped herself from finishing the sentence once she realized she was standing in a fountain. In the middle of the city. She looked around her surroundings. The sound of car horns and pop music filled her ears. Bright lights flashed through out the evening city. Over a dozen onlooker in street clothes, school uniforms, and business suits had stopped to stare at the three, as if an alien race had just declared to take over the planet. It was official. Rin was back, and she'd brought Kaiko and Mikuo with her.

"Rin―" Mikuo began, but she cut him off.

"Close your eyes." She ordered. "Do it now." She couldn't let them see her world. Not when she had no explanation. To confess everything here..._now_, it didn't seem like a good idea. Not while she was out in the open. Rin bit on her bottom lip. How was this possible? Just when she was starting to develop a theory on her cross to the mirrored world, this happens.

Kaiko and Mikuo were reluctant, but they obliged to her command.

"And cover your ears." _You definitely don't want to hear the judgments of the urban community. _Rin latched onto her friends' arms leading them away from the fountain. She held her glare, giving every passing citizen a dirty look when they looked at them funnily. She supposed they weren't _completely _at fault. They were dressed in strange attire, and they were soaked to the bone. With the cool evening air passing through their wet clothing, the only bits of conversation to pass between them were the chattering of their teeth._  
_

Rin looked around. Luckily, they were in her area. It was a good thing too. Rin had no money on her, and no means of transportation would ever accept them on board in their wet state.

Rin released her tight grip on Kaiko and Mikuo once she arrived to the door to the house. She searched for the spare key left in the houseplant by the door. She found it, silently unlocking the door to the house. Again, she grabbed onto Kaiko and Mikuo, leading them upstairs to the empty guestroom upstairs. It consisted only of two futons, and a room divider left in the closet.

"Can we open our eyes now?" Mikuo asked impenitently.

"Y-yes." She said, surprised they were able to hold out for this long.

They both blinked, opening their eyes to the dim darkness of the room, their arms dropping to their side. They cautiously observed their surroundings, the slight disappointment and confusion were apparent in their expressions.

"Where are we?" Mikuo asked in a haughty manner. "What happened to...to that _place_?" His irritation slowly started to rise. He was very confused. One minute he was in the middle of battle with the royal knight, then the next minute he was here in this empty room, but before then...What happened before then? His senses were dulled when he experienced the lights and the wind. He then experienced even more lights and unknown sounds filling his ears, but that had only lasted a moment until Rin order he and Kaiko to cover their eyes and ears. He obliged to her command since it was the first time Rin had asked anything from them, but now he was hungry for answers.

Rin's mind raced. What would she say? She didn't want to lie to them, but lying seemed like the only way to get out of this. She shook her head. No! She wouldn't lie. It was only a quick fix, and would only destroy their friendship later on. There was only one way she could calm them. Taking a deep breath she thought, _I hope this works._

She bowed. "Please. If you trust me, you wont leave this room." She lowered herself as down as she possible could. "Please it's for your own good."

Kaiko and Mikuo exchanged looks. When Kaiko nodded in approval, he turned to her. "Fine. Only for today, but we expect answers from you soon."

She smiled. "Yes, thank you."

* * *

"I tell you, that Rin is acting awfully suspicious. She's hiding something." Mikuo said taking a bite out of his plain toast. "Why else would she lock us up for the night?" Currently, Mikuo was eating a simple breakfast of plain flavored scrambled eggs, toast, and tea with Kaiko. He was in a foul mood. Rin had annoyed him yesterday. She'd woken him up during her frequent check ups all through out the night. He said he'd remain in his place, he'd given her his word, but apparently it wasn't enough for her.

"We promised to believe in her, Mikuo."

"I do, but an eight-hour errand?" He said recalling Rin's words. Before she'd given them their breakfast, she said she was leaving for a while, for some sort of errand. She was wearing the clothes that she had on when they first found her.

"Well..."

"I say we follow her." He declared.

"What!? But we promised we wouldn't leave the room."

"_Yesterday_." He corrected. "We didn't say anything about today."

Kaiko chewed on her lower lip. She knew Rin would definitely feel cheated, but she too was curious with what Rin was desperately tried to hide from them. "Fine."

* * *

Rin was reluctant to go to school today, but she knew she had to. It was only Wednesday and she had yet to give back her completed work back to her teacher. She knew after all the time he spent creating those packages for her, he wasn't pleased from her later absences, but it wasn't so bad. She'd only been away for two days. Not a month. Now, all she had to do was come up with a good excuse so Kiyoteru wouldn't scold her.

She stopped walking. She was already in front of the school gates, but she wondered if she should head back home. She knew it wasn't a good idea to leave Kaiko and Mikuo on their own. They couldn't stay in that room forever. They had to use the bathroom some time, and what if they got bored? They'd have the urge to explore the house. Either way, it'd soon lead to disaster.

"Rin." A familiar voice called from behind her.

She jumped, swiftly turning to her caller. She sighed. It was only Kiyoteru-sensei.

"It's nice to see you to." He muttered under his breath. "Anyway, I hope to see you in class today."

"U-um...yes. I'll be there." She said quietly. Again, she sighed. After everything she'd been through she was still as quiet as a mouse. Oh well. It looked like she couldn't turn back after all. She would just have to believe in Kaiko and Mikuo.

The day seemed to pass slowly. Of course a school day always seemed slow to Rin, but more so for today. She wanted to hurry and go home already, she wanted to make sure Mikuo and Kaiko were okay. They were probably starving by now. Rin hadn't prepared them any lunch, and she couldn't get them much breakfast either, but she had no choice. Her fridge was cluttered with nothing but processed foods. If she served them junk food, they would only grow more suspicious. It probably wasn't good for them either. They _had_ lived with an all-natural diet throughout their lives.

Rin was facing her last class of the day. Gym. She stood in her empty classroom, zipping up her sweater jacket. She was the only girl left in the room. She was a slow changer after all, but she didn't mind. She liked missing out on gym. It was her most hated subject. The idea of forced physical activity made her cringe.

She left the classroom, idly walking down the halls. She looked out the windows as she walked. It was a cool October afternoon. Outside her classmates began to play softball on the unweeded grass field as they were approached by Kaiko and Mikuo.

She stopped. _What?!_

She leaned close to the window as watched the dreadful scene unfold below her. Kaiko stopped to ask one of the girls something, when Mikuo interrupted by raising his sword up towards the sky. Her classmates ran at the sight of the weapon. "Rin!" He bellowed. His voice boomed loudly, even Rin could hear it from all the way up on the third floor. "Rin Kagamine." He said again. "Show yourself. I know you're here."

She blushed. Did he have to use her full name?

Her idle walk became a desperate dash down to the field. She had to get Mikuo and Kaiko away from here. She knew it wouldn't be long before the police showed up. She had to get them away before then. _Dammit__, _she cursed. She knew she shouldn't have gone to school today. She was tired and already sweating by the time she made it to the field. "Mikuo!" She snapped. "What do you think you're doing?"

Her eyes widened as Mikuo's sword swung dangerously close to her neck.

Miku looked at her with an ice cold glare. "Where the hell am I?"


	8. The Truth

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 8: The Truth**

"Mikuo..." She began, but her voice cracked on her. Her tone was weak, defiantly not as strong as it was before. Her eyes traveled from the sword that was so close from piercing her, to Mikuo's eyes where they locked in place. He stared at her with such hate, hurt, and confusion, but it was hate that currently dominated his emotions. For him to look at her in such a way...it pained her.

"I asked you a question."

Rin trembled as the cold metal weapon met with her skin. He hadn't harmed her, but he was close.

"Mikuo, put that sword down." Kaiko said, carefully approaching him.

"Back off Kaiko." He hollered. "This is between me and Rin, or have you forgotten what you witnessed only moments ago?" He said knowing the words would deeply affect her. Kaiko pursed her lips. She looked away, appearing troubled as conflicting emotions battled within her, but it wasn't long before she stepped away from the two, just as Mikuo wished.

He turned back to Rin. "Will you answer me, or will you persist on silence?"

"I..." She clenched her fists. "Let's go home." She said. "I swear I'll explain everything there."

* * *

After explaining to her teacher and classmates who witnessed their conflict that they had nothing to worry about, and it was only Rin's crazy _cousins_ playing a prank on her, she was sent home early for causing a commotion. She sighed, exhausted as she realized she managed to avoid two deaths today: hers and the other including her classmate Yuuma. He joined the girls' gym class after hearing all the yelling and screaming. He had casually come over, touching Mikuo's sword then asked if it was real. It took all of Rin's strength to stop Mikuo from drawing his sword and slicing him down right then and there.

It was an awkward walk back to Rin's house. Kaiko and Mikuo were weary of the automated vehicles, artificial lighting, and the "metal gliding birds" up in the sky that would pass every so often. Their strange clothing brought Kaiko and Mikuo unwanted attention as well. It was still a bit damp with water, which Rin felt guilty about. She hadn't given them any spare clothing. Still with everything going on around them, Kaiko and Mikuo placed their attention solely on Rin. They were promised answers, and neither of them would let her out of their sights until they received them.

Finally, they arrived at the front of the house. She unlocked the door, leading them to the living room. "Take a seat." She mumbled, motioning to the leather couch on her right. She watched as Kaiko and Mikuo squirmed in the seat, both unsure on how to get comfortable.

Mikuo crossed his arms, now adjusted to the leathery slip of the seat. "Now, will you tell us what's going on?"

She nodded. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Her friends looked a her impatiently, waiting for her to say something―anything. Rin frowned. How would she begin? They wouldn't simply believe the mirror story, would they? No. She would need proof. Just as Rin was about to stand up, Kaiko spoke.

"We're waiting, Rin." She said in an irritated tone.

Rin blinked, surprised. Even Kaiko was getting annoyed. She sat back down. She could pester them no more. They wanted to hear the truth _now_. Sighing she said, "I was never a citizen of Yamis." Her body stiffened as she uttered the words. She knew it would be difficult to continue her confession.

Mikuo's brows knit. "But you speak our language. Perhaps you are from a neighboring country―"

She shook her head. "No. I'm not from any country." She said interrupting. "I don't know if you already figured it out already but...we may come from two completely different worlds." She cleared her throat. "That is to say, we _are_ from different worlds. Mirrored worlds."

"Mir...ored worlds?' He said slowly.

"Yes." She nodded. "I don't know much about it myself. It's been a little over a month since my discovery. I say "mirrored" because it's a mirror―basically anything that reflects an image that connects our worlds. At first I believed only I could do it, but somehow I brought you two with me." She looked back at the scene remembering the three had all held on to each other during their fall. Was it possible that they could travel along with her because they held on to her?_Like an electric current..._It was only a theory, she'd have to prove it later on.

"But our worlds are different." She continued. "The land mass of your world is the water mass of mine and vise versa. The times are different, my world is more technologically advanced than yours, our cultures..." She stated more differences. "The only thing our worlds _do_ share are people. Both worlds have some sort of gender opposite counterparts." She paused. "Wait just a second." She said glancing at her silenced friends before heading upstairs to her room. She took a breath as she made her way up. Never in her life had she talked so much.

Once upstairs, she searched her closet for her most recent yearbook. She was sure she had it in here somewhere. "Ah, here we go." She said finding the tattered book. She quickly headed back downstairs, placing the book on the table. "I'm friends with...um, I'm some what acquainted with your gender-reversed counterparts." She opened the book to Miku's class from last year. It was easy to find the page. She remembered she had dogeared the page a while back. "This is your mirror image, Miku. She wasn't in class today, so you didn't get to see her during your disturbance earlier."

"Miku?" He said looking at the picture. His eyes widened at the sight of her. "She...she looks like me." He said breathlessly.

"Yes!" She beamed, glad he was staring to understand.

"Let me see." Kaiko said taking a close look. She furrowed her brows. "No she doesn't. She looks nothing like you."

He turned to her. "What are you, blind?" He pushed the book closer to her face. "Look again."

It was then did Rin come to a realization. No one was ever able to "see" Len but her. Did those same rules apply to Kaiko and Mikuo? Now that she thought about it, none of her classmates were able to spot Kaiko and Mikuo's striking resemblance to her schoolmates. Hm...no, that didn't make sense. Rin was able to see the similarities between her friends, and...her previous friends. "Your counter part is also here Kaiko." She took the year book away from her, flipping to the second year classes where she found Kaito. "Here." She said handing it back to her.

She quiet for a moment. Rin soon saw tears well in her eyes. "It's like having a brother." She said quietly.

Mikuo glanced at the picture then, unknown to Kaiko, silently shook his head. He turned to Rin when he noticed her staring. "So that time when we found you, you called that Miku girl's name, not mine, correct?"

She nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed talking about a person that was now a stranger to her. "Yes."

"And that person you're trying to find..." He said. "Is he..."

She gasped. How could she forget? "Yes. He's my mirror image. But I'm a bit different. I've seen him through out most of my life. It's bit hard to explain, but my goal, with your help of course is to find him." Determination shone bright in her eyes. Too bright, thought Mikuo.

"Hmm. It almost sounds like you love him." He teased.

"I..." She said. "No. Of course not. That-that would be strange. Wouldn't it?" It pained her to say the sentence. Rin had finally confessed. She had told them everything, but her feelings for Len...well, that would the only secret she'd wouldn't tell. She didn't want to cause a riff in their friendship, or in their travels by telling them.

Mikuo stood up. "While your world is interesting, I think it's best if we return to Yamis. Our gold is still in Rojin. It's by the bridge, but it wont be long before it's discovered by someone else."

Kaiko nodded. "I hate to say it, but he's right. Is there anyway for us to return?"

Rin turned to the mirror, her eyes meeting her reflection's gaze. "I'm not sure. It's out of my control―" She cut herself short. For a moment she could have sworn she saw an image of her mirror-image Len, and for that moment her heart had beat in woeful sorry and pain. Before she could even take a second look, she felt a light breeze blow her way. Panicked, she turned to Kaiko and Mikuo. "Grab on to me."

"Why―"

"Now!"

Slowly, they both reached out for her, grabbing onto both her hands. In that moment, the wind grew powerful, and the familiar flash of green light shone with great intensity. Rin shut her eyes tight, she nearly blinded herself the last time she was caught in the beauty of the bright light. She could feel as she was pulled away into the other world. It wasn't long before she smelt the air of outside, the intense heat of the Yamis sun (despite the coming winter), and fell into the dried river.

"_Oww_." She muttered. She had only fallen a few feet, but the impact left her whole body sore. Looking around, she realized her friends weren't with her. "Kaiko, Mikuo?" She started to panic. Was her theory wrong? Had they not come with her?

Kaiko's head popped up from over the bridge. "Rin? What are you doing down there?"

"Huh?" What were they doing up there?

"Hurry up." Said Mikuo. "We'll leave you."

"Wait―" But they had already begun to walk away. _Why those ungrateful little―_

"We're only kidding." Mikuo said looking down on her, grinning. He hauled what had to be the sack of gold coins over his shoulder. "Hey Kaiko, go get the rope. It's in the tavern by my door."

"Alright." She smiled. "I'll be back soon."

Mikuo turned back to Rin. "I've been meaning to ask you a question."

Rin looked up, a sharp pain jolted through her neck. Of course, tilting her neck to such an angle would hurt anybody, but she decided to ignore the twinge of pain, and place her focus on Mikuo. "And what's that?" She asked with a raised brow.

"Why are you so interested in the...mirror-image as you call it, anyway?"

"I told you didn't I? I've been seeing him all my life. I always thought it was strange―abnormal sight, but when I came to Yamis and discovered he was real, I just...I have to meet him."

"I see. Sorry for asking a strange question, but I'm going to ask another one." He said.

"Uh, sure."

"What if you're disappointed?"

Her heart had stopped for a moment. Disappointed? Would she be? She thought about the first time Len spoke to her. Even if it was in a dream, Rin had treasured that moment, and she knew when she officially met Len she would treasure him too. She wouldn't be disappointed. Meeting Len would be one of the greatest days of her life. She was sure of it.

Rin shot Mikuo a smile. It caused a light fluttering feeling in his chest. "Thanks for worrying about me, but I wont be disappointed. I'll feel quite the opposite actually."

He looked away. "Who said I was worri―"

He was cut off by an ear-splitting scream. Rin and Mikuo looked at each other, their eyes widening in shock. They knew who that scream belonged to.

_Kaiko!_


	9. Destiny

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 9: Destiny**

"Rin, stay here." Mikuo ordered. He was gone before Rin had the chance to protest. She frowned. How could he just leave her here? Kaiko was her friend too. She was worried for her as well. She wouldn't simply stay down here as Mikuo had ordered. Looking around she decided she would find her own means of escape. She ran up the dried riverbed at full speed looking for something that would help her in her escape.

As she ran, she noticed the walls of the area getting thinner and thinner as she traveled deeper into the path. It gave her an idea. She ran faster, paying close attention to her surroundings. It was getting there. She sprinted a few meters and stopped in her place. She raised her leg, her foot meeting with the wall of the riverbed and her back leaning against the other. "I hope this works." She groaned.

She pushed herself up, her legs meeting her back's pace. She slowly stared to rise, dirt smudging her uniform as her body rubbed against the soil. She was only two meters up and already out of breath, but she didn't let her fatigue stop her. At a slow rate, she climbed up to the surface. She looked up, seeing her destination slowly come to reach.

"Almost..." She breathed. Her feet lost its footing, and she almost fell as a result, but she held on with all her strength. She had already made it up this far, she wouldn't go down so easily. She continued to climb up, using the last bits of her strength. She was almost up to the top. She could feel the wind of the surface blow through her hair. She kicked her feet up to the surface, quickly turning her body around, her hands holding on to the edge. She was met with the empty space of the riverbed. Rin swallowed. It was a long way down.

Rin lowered her feet back down, indenting deep into the dirt. Rin quickly climbed the rest of the way up, relieved and surprised she was able to escape. She stood up, refusing to take a rest. She ran back to the bridge, running across. She entered Rojin village, deciding to look for Kaiko and Mikuo, but the moment she entered the village she knew something was wrong, and it wasn't Kaiko's scream that had given that away.

The first thing she noticed was emptiness. There was not a being in sight. It was eerie. The last time she was here, it was packed with people. For her not to see anyone...it left her with a strange hollowness in her chest. It was also usually quiet. Even if there were no people, Rin should have at least heard the chirping of birds or the sound of cicadas, but all she could hear was the quiet howl of the wind. It was as if all nature had silenced itself for Rin's next discovery.

Rin spotted Kaiko and Mikuo just up ahead. She smiled, glad to see Kaiko was okay. Just as she was about to run up to them, a gust of wind blew bringing forth a foul stench. Rin covered her mouth and nose in disgust. What on earth was that smell? She held her breath, as she hurriedly approached her friends. "Kaiko," She said pulling her shirt up to her nose. "Mikuo..." She trailed off realizing he was on the ground crying. She looked at Kaiko for explanation, but she turned away, her body trembling, so crouching down to Mikuo's level she said, "Mikuo, what's wrong?"

"It's...it's all my fault." He cried.

"Eh? What are you talking about?"

"_Look_." He explained. He outstretched his arms, motioning to the sight in front of him.

She slowly turned to his motioned direction, her eyes widening in horror. She had found the source of the stench. The smell emanated from the bodies piled from the inside a large hollow hole. "This...this is..." She was going to be sick. She quickly turned away, vomiting. Her throat burned as stomach acid and chunks of food made their way back up her esophagus. How had this happened? "Why..." She could say no more, realizing she felt more vomit rise up her throat. Again, she turned away spewing the acidic substance.

Mikuo held on to his bloodied sword and clenched the note that had been attacked to it. "Dammit." He said, banging his fist against the ground.

_Dear Mikuo,_

_How are you doing? Not too well I hope. After all I did leave a little "present" for you._

_But that's what happens when you run away from your dear King Len, and to think_

_these worthless villagers harbored you against my orders. _

_In the end I never could __find you, but don't you dare breath a sigh of relief. Believe_

_ me when I say I will find __you and I** will **kill you._

_Oh, I almost forgot to mention **it**. I believe it's something you should know. Every_

_villager was slaughtered by my hand...using your sword. How does it feel, Mikuo?_

_To know your precious holy sword was used to kill the "innocent"? Their screams_

_still ring in my ears. Well, they did deserve it. The moment they choose you over_

**_me_**_, is the day my kingdom falls into ruins, and I can't let that happen, now can __I?_

_―King Len of Yamis_

It was because of his misunderstanding that these people were dead. Hundreds of people killed in his stead. Women, children...no one had been spared. The King had went against his own people. It was on days like today that Mikuo had to wonder: What made Len so cruel? What driving force or negativity caused him to be this way? King Len had always received the love of his mother and his father before their tragic passing, he had lived a luxurious life since birth, and he never had to live through the worries of the common man. Why couldn't he see how lucky he was? Why did he have to play with the lives of other people?

Mikuo stood up, wiping his tears. His eyes were sharp and unforgiving. A new rage burned within his soul and a brand new hate for Len had formed. "Rin." He said in a firm tone.

She wiped her mouth. "Yes?"

Mikuo could hear the sound of life resurface as he spoke."...Kaiko and I are traveling to the Capitol because we aim to group with a few allies of ours. In truth, we are a rebellion force. We strive for a revolution after centuries upon centuries of constant neglect and cruelty." He lowered himself down to Rin's level, offering her a handkerchief. "In fact these pointless killings are all our King's doings. Maybe as an otherworlder you don't care, and you're free to reject my request, but I want you to join us. For one odd reason or another I feel you would be of great help to us." He said, staring at her intently.

Rin blinked, surprised by his request and by his seriousness, but of course this was a serious matter, and he had act as such. She already knew this _massacre _had to be the King's doing. For him to mercilessly kill all these innocent people. Rin couldn't understand how the King could be so cold blooded. "Do... do you think I could be of help?" She asked. At this point it didn't matter if she was from a different world. She felt a strong anger build within her, and she already possessed a strong desire to be useful to her friends.

Mikuo nodded. "Of course."

Kaiko wiped her eyes. "We wont be angry if you don't want to do it. We are risking a lot after all."

Rin looked away. She knew she had to seriously think about their request. Helping them start a rebellion wasn't a thing she should take so lightly. She had to think of everything she would have to give up. Her schooling, her way of life, her _life_. Then again, did she really have a life in her world? She lived each day wishing the next day would hurry up pass already. Was she ever truly living? Was her life really worth going back to? No, of course not. She already knew that answer. But in this world, she could do something that would give her life meaning, that actually would make living worth while. She knew joining her friends in a rebellion was a life-risking operation, but she wanted to do it. Yes, she would do it.

She turned to her friends. "I'll do it."

Kaiko and Mikuo smiled feeling both surprised and relieved by her answer. "Thank you." said Mikuo. He placed a hand over the left of his chest as he stood on one knee. "You wont regret this. I swear by my soldier's honor I'll protect you through the many battles that we're bound to face."

Rin smiled weakly. She didn't want to rely on Mikuo too much. She didn't want to be a burden. She was starting develop a few sword skills of her own. Hopefully, she would be able to protect herself, and her friends.

Rin looked up towards the sky. It was the shade of the most innocent of blues. It was a crystal beauty, and not a single cloud occupied the barren atmosphere. It was hard to believe so many killings had occurred on such a beautiful day. She took a deep breath. Tears still blinded her vision, and the stench of rotting bodies refused to leave her nose. She wiped her eyes as she breathed out a sigh.

_Len, I think I've found my destiny._


	10. The Blacksmith

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 10: The Blacksmith**

Mikuo had taken his sword back, and carriage away as well, both were taken without the exchange of money. The three felt guilty, but they knew money was of no use to people of the dead, so they left the village with prayers as their farewell. Kaiko and Mikuo prayed to their goddess, Sasari as she was called, while Rin had tried praying to any god that was willing to listen to her pleas. _Protect the souls of those that were wrongfully murdered, and please let our travels be safe from now on._

"We're going to take a bit of a detour and move to the next town over. There's someone I need to visit." Mikuo announced as he steered the carriage to the far left of Rojin village. Rin didn't bother to ask where they were going. She doubted she would understand, she was directionally challenged, and besides, she didn't really feel like talking. She knew Kaiko and Mikuo felt the same.

It was a silent ride. The only sound made was created by the shaking of the carriage and the clopping of horses' steps. Rin looked out the window, the massacre still fresh on her mind. She wanted to forget seeing the horrific sight, but she couldn't. Never in her life had she witnessed anything so barbaric. She sighed. If she couldn't forget it, then she'd learn from it. The image would be a grim reminder of who she was up against.

King Yamis was a shadowed figure to her. He was a well hidden character, but a lethal enemy once he made an appearance. She wondered how Mikuo and the other rebels planned to bring him down. The plan had to be well thought out for a revolution to rise. She knew the king wouldn't fall from the throne so easily. Rin sincerely hoped she could be as helpful as Mikuo predicted.

The carriage soon came to a stop. Rin tore away from her thoughts, standing up. They had arrived at their destination. Rin and Kaiko jumped off the carriage, observing their surroundings. Similar to Rojin, they were in another small village. It was not as crowded as Rojin (a few elders would walk the streets once every so often), and the town held a dark, somewhat depressing air.

They stood in front of a small shack like shop. It was made of slowly rotting wood and old tiles. Inside, a loud clanging noise was created. Curious, Rin asked, "Where are we?" She winced, placing a hand over her throat. It hurt to talk. She hadn't spoken in a long while and her insides were still in pain from her earlier spew session.

"Hanoi village." He said.

"And we're here because..." Kaiko questioned quietly.

"Luki." He turned to Rin. "He's a close friend of mine." He explained.

Mikuo pushed the heavy wooden door. He opened it, making a loud creaking noise as the three entered the small shop. Rin looked around the room, instantly realizing that this was a weaponry shop. Axes, swords, and different sized blades hung from every wall. A powerful heat suffocated Rin. The source came from an intense fire burning in the corner. A young man sitting by that fire placed a sword within the flames, pounding on the burning metal with ferocity burning bright in his eyes. He was so absorbed in his work, he hadn't noticed their entry.

"Luki." Mikuo said over the noise.

The boy's hammer was raised in the air, mid-swing when he turned to the three. "Mikuo? What are you doing here?"

His eyes wandered off. "My sword...it needs sharpening."

"Already?" He shook his head. "I told you not to use such a precious sword too often―" He cut himself short, raising a finger at him he said, "Hold on a minute, will you?" He turned back to the hot metaled sword, hammering it down a few more times before pulling it out of the fire. He put the burning red sword into a cool barrel of water. A harsh sizzling noise filled the room, making Rin cringe. When the sound faded, he pulled it out of the water, carefully observing his finished work before placing it on the counter.

Mikuo drew his sword, handing it to the tall youth. Luki took it, inspecting the state of the sword displeasingly. As this happened, Rin stared at the stranger in front of her. He was the tallest among the four of them, beating Mikuo by an inch of so. He had short hair, sharp sky blue eyes, and, like Mikuo, he was a bit of a pretty boy. Rin had quickly looked away once the Luki fellow had noticed her staring.

"You're a new face." He commented, placing his sole attention on Mikuo's sword.

"Oh, I almost forgot." He smiled weakly. "Luki, this is Kagamine Rin. Rin, this is Megurine Luki. The best Blacksmith you'll ever come to meet."

She nodded his way. "Hello."

"Kagamine, eh." He muttered. "And you must Kaiko. Mikuo mentioned you a while back."

"Nice to meet you." She mumbled.

"Likewise." He then turned to Mikuo, shaking his head disapprovingly he said, "This is not only dulled in sharpness, it's in awful condition. What happened?" He knew Mikuo wasn't one to treat his sword without care.

There was a heavy silence. Dark expressions had crossed Kaiko, Rin, and Mikuo's faces. Luki frowned. He decided not to ask any further questions. Something must have happened. "Hm, well I can have your sword ready in a few days. Until then, you're all free to stay at my home."

"Thank you."

* * *

It hadn't been long before Luki closed his shop for the day. He lead the three into his house in the heart of town. It was a modest looking house that was neither extravagant nor appalling and unlike his shop, it was in stable condition. "Come in." He said welcoming them inside.

The three resided in the guest room. They sat in silence and continued to do so when Luki came back with a small pot of tea. He poured them each a cup, sliding it each their way. Rin accepted her cup, taking a small sip of tea. The warm substance brought a soothing relief to her aching throat.

"Luki." Mikuo began. "When your finished with the sword, come join the rebel force. We need you."

The sakura haired boy glanced wearily at Rin.

"She already knows."

He sighed. "And you know I've already joined the rebel army. What more do you want from me?"

"To take your job seriously." He said raising his voice. "You're a captain. You can't simply come and go as you please."

_Captain_, she thought. This Luki was more impressive than she anticipated. Pushing her thoughts of admiration aside, she decided to move away from the two and sit by Kaiko's side. She felt an argument start to rise between the two boys. She didn't want to be the one caught in the middle of it.

While Luki tried to keep his cool, he could not control the mad twitching of his brow. "You don't seem to understand how hard it is to run a business, especially with the over raise in taxes."

"No one would have that problem anymore if we just took down The Dark Lord." He spat. "It's because of your wishy-washy attitude that we're going nowhere."

"You talk as if it's that easy." He scoffed. "Even if I do pour my heart and soul into the rebellion there's no guarantee we'll win."

Mikuo clenched his fists. "As long as we're fighting against injustice, we will win." He said. "That's a guarantee."

He still wouldn't budge. There was no moving him. "But who knows how long we'll fight for. If I want to survive in this harsh world I'll need a source of income. Being a Blacksmith...that's all I have." He said a calmer, more understanding tone.

Mikuo banged his fist against the table. Rin jolted, and a bit of her tea spilled. "_Luki_." He said. He had gradually paled. His eyes had gone hollow, the shadows under them now more apparent than ever. "That bastard...he massacred all the citizens if Rojin village...and he used my sword to do it." His voice quivered in anger as he said this. "It was just so he could get to me. Soon it'll be you and everyone else. He's willing to slaughter the innocent just to see us all suffer. Do you honestly think someone like him deserves to rule for another day?"_  
_

There was a silence.

"Soldiers past through the village a few days ago, but I never imagined..." He trailed off. "Fine. I suppose I can temporarily shut down the shop." He sighed. "I'll travel with you after your sword is repaired. That is...if you'll let me."

A bit of color returned to his face. "Of course."

* * *

Rin couldn't sleep. She had been rolling around the guest futon for hours, trying to find the perfect position to get comfortable and fall asleep to the lull of the crickets' chirp, but she couldn't. She was tired, but her body didn't allow her to rest. Was it was the shock of Rojin village that kept her up, she wondered. She still had an upset stomach and the smell of rotting bodies hadn't left her nose since.

Rin pulled away at her blanket and rolled off the mattress. She stood up, finding her way around the darkness. She walked through the guest room, almost stubbing her toe against the leg of the table. She searched the door, grabbing onto the handle. She twisted it, stepping outside into the night.

She sat on the soft patch of grass as she did yesterday when she had trouble sleeping, but she didn't think it'd drag on to the next day. She groaned. It wasn't only Rojin village, but this world and everything in it that kept her up at night. Ever since her discovery of the Mirrored world, there was not a day where she could sleep in ease. There were just so many troubles in her life that kept pilling one over the other. They bottled within her. When she tried to lessen her problems on her own, more just kept coming her way. She was reaching her capacity. She was about to explode.

She sighed. On days when she felt like...like _this_ while she was in the mirrored world, she'd go outside. There weren't a lot of things she liked about this world, but one thing she did enjoy was the evening sky. This world hadn't been hit with light or air pollution, leaving Rin to admire the night sky in all its glory.

"Rin?"

She jumped as she turned to her caller. "Oh, it's just you." She sighed as she came into view of Mikuo's long ponytail.

"It's good to see you to." He muttered. "So what are you doing out here anyway?"

She shrugged. "I couldn't sleep." She looked up at him. "What about you?"

"Same." He said as he sat down beside her. "And I wanted to ask you something."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Well...I've been thinking. Will you really be alright?" He asked. Before Rin could even question what he meant, he continued to speak. "It's not too late to back out now. Like Kaiko said before, we wont be angry if you―"

"Mikuo!" She snapped, now realizing what he was talking about. "I want to do it." She breathed, calming herself. "I didn't join simply because you asked me to. It's now I realize that as long as the King of Yamis is in power, the people I care about will live in constant danger." She thought of Len, and how he lived. Did he yearn for freedom? Was he suffering due to his ruler's selfishness? Did he pray for the downfall of his King as much as she and her friends did?

"Are you talking about that mirror-image of yours?"

She nodded. "Yes. You and Kaiko as well. I want to protect you guys." She mumbled.

Mikuo's eyes widened in surprise. He never expected to hear such a thing come out of Rin's mouth. A small smile formed on his lips. He was touched, but he laughed despite his feelings. "You're a thousand years to early to protect me." He said messing her hair as if she were a little girl.

"Ah, Mikuo. Stop!" She said pulling herself away. She muttered under her breath, annoyed as she smoothed her hair back into place. As if her hair wasn't a birds nest already.

He stood up, heading for the door. "Thank you, Rin. You've reassured me."

"Huh? Did you say something?" She asked, adjusting her ribbon.

"Nothing. Goodnight." He said going back inside.

"...Goodnight."


	11. The First Battle

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 11: The First Battle**

Miku stood in front of Rin's door holding a brown envelop under her arm. Today was the second day Kiyoteru sent her out to deliver Rin's homework. He tried calling her house, but received no answer, so he sent Miku, the class rep―aka the class guinea pig―to see what was going on with her household. Despite Kiyoteru-sensei's bitterness, he was starting to get worried. Rin was usually a good student who never missed a day of class, but these days she was gone weeks at a time. Even Miku who tried to hold a grudge against Rin was getting worried.

She took a deep breath, her hand forming into a fist. She raised her arm, ready to knock on the door, but chickened out at the last minute. Her heart beat madly as she took a step away from the house. She was too scared. She feared Rin would shun her away like last time.

She sighed, pulling a pen out of her skirt pocket. She jot down a quick note on the envelope, and pushed it through the mail slot.

_Hi, Rin. I hope I see you in class soon._

―_Miku._

She groaned as turned away from the house. "I'm such a coward." She muttered.

* * *

"No, no, no!" Mikuo hollered. "What's with that stance? You're doing it all wrong."

She clenched her teeth. Even the usually quiet Rin couldn't contain her anger. "What do you mean?" She spat. "My stance is perfect!"

Kaiko, Mikuo, Rin and their new companion Luki had woken up in the early hours of the day to restock on supplies before heading out. Rin was reluctant to get up so early in the morning, she had hardly gotten a wink of sleep after all, but she had eventually got out of bed to help her friends pack. She decided she would catch a few hours of sleep in the carriage.

Now, with a stiff neck, out in the middle of no where, Mikuo taught her a few stances. Now that Rin was joining the rebel army, Mikuo decided to get serious with her training. She had reassured him that she was serious for the battle of their cause, and in exchange, Mikuo decided he would train her to become the best sword-fighter in Yamis (second to him of course), but still, he couldn't help but lose patience with her. She was just so frustrating to be around.

"I'm the teacher here." He shot back. "If I say your stance is wrong then it's wrong."

"Give it a rest you two. It's time to break for lunch." Kaiko said, stirring a pot of stew over a small burning fire.

"Finally." Rin muttered, stretching her stiff joints. While she was eager to get stronger and learn more from Mikuo, she was also eager to get out of today's lesson. Contradicting thoughts, she knew, but she was exhausted. She needed a break.

They all sat around the burned-out fire, quietly eating their stew and stale loafs of bread. Rin looked away from Mikuo, pretending not to notice his presence as he gave her a not-so-subtle glare. She was tired. She didn't really feel like fighting with him, so she placed false interest in the scenery, observing the dry canvas up ahead. She looked atop mountains where she spotted other travelers, parked with their horses and resting with their companions. _What a strange place to settle_, she thought.

Kaiko shifted uncomfortably. She didn't like the tension between her two friends, and she was still awkward with her new companion, so she decided to break the silence and strike a conversation. "How is training going for you two?" She asked looking between Mikuo and Rin. It took her a moment to realize that it wasn't the smartest question to ask.

Mikuo breathed an exasperated sigh. "It's like she's not even trying."

She gave him a hard look. He was talking about her as if she weren't here. She didn't know if the fact that he spoke negatively in her presence was better than him talking behind her back. Either way, she didn't like it.

"Mikuo, you're being rude." Kaiko whispered.

He glanced Rin's way, now noticing her look. "What? I'm only speaking the truth."

She turned away. Mikuo could be cruel at times. "I'm doing my best." She mumbled.

Mikuo set his plate away. He stood up, slowly drawing his sword as he approached her. The newly refined blade shone bright as the sun's light reflected off the metal. "You're doing your best?" He repeated. "Let me tell you something...sometimes 'your best' isn't good enough. You need to push yourself to your limit in both mind and body." He tightened his grip on the handle. "If you do that, then you will be able to exterminate your 'limit'," He raised his sword. "then maybe, just maybe you'll be able to sharpen your skills to a such a degree you can sense attacks before they happen."

Rin questioned his sword's movements. "What are you―" She began, but was interrupted by swift motion of his blade.

She froze as heard a sharp metal clang and then...silence. She looked down towards the ground finding the source of the metal clamor. Her eyes widened. A large metal arrow fell a few feet away from her. If not for Mikuo's assistance, that arrow would have gone straight through her skull. She shuddered at the thought. "T-this is..."

He looked up towards the mountains. "Bandits." He said under his breath. He expected to run into a few during their travels. "Luki, take Kaiko away to a safe distance." Turning to Rin he said, "Rin, draw your sword. You're about to enter in you're very first battle."

"O-okay." She replied as she drew her sword from her back. This was was all so sudden. She never expected to go into battle so soon, but she wouldn't back down now. She wiped her sweaty palms on her tunic before taking a firm hold on the handle of her sword. Her heart beat madly as she waited for their opponents to arrive.

Mikuo glanced her way. "Here's a challenge for you." He said with a relaxed grin. "Try to injure, not kill your opponents. Remember, we are not The Dark Lord."

She gave him a look. How could he be so relaxed about this? Rin was losing her mind. They were about to go into battle. What made him think Rin would be the one doing the injuring anyway? They were outnumbered and there was no guarantee she would be able to overpower them. Mikuo must have sensed her worry because he soon gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. Even though most have it had been just been play, you've still been learning sword techniques from me. You'll be fine."

Her grip tightened. "Right."

It wasn't long before the bandits arrived. There were a dozen of them in total. Only three of them wielded weapons. Rin frowned. They must have thought they were easy targets. Without any sort of introduction, the Leader of the bandits, a sour looking man with blond hair and stitches across his face and neck, spoke up "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way." He said in slightly accented Japanese. Rin figured he must have been a foreigner.

"The hard way is always a fun challenge." Mikuo said playfully.

The Bandit Leader sighed. "As you wish." He unsheathed his sword and the two soon broke in to battle.

As their battle occurred, Rin lunged towards a man that attempted to take their carriage. He quickly drew his sword and blocked her attack once he noticed her fast approach. To Rin's surprise, her opponent seemed to be struggling to break free from their deadlock, but his strength soon overtook hers, and she fell backwards, landing on the ground with a loud thud.

The man took this opportunity to strike her down with his blade. Rin had to act quick. She grabbed her sword, immediately blocking his attack. She grit her teeth as she felt the man's weight close in on her. She had to do something fast or she was done for. She look up Mikuo's way. He was engrossed in his battle with the Bandit Leader.

She opened her mouth, she was about to call out to him when she abruptly closed her mouth shut. No. It was her battle. She'd end it on her own. She turned back to her opponent, using all her strength to push against the man's weight. She was slowly starting to gain leverage, and once enough space was created, she quickly rolled away, the bandit's sword piercing straight into the ground instead of in her.

She scrambled to her feet, her fury rising as she raised her sword over her head. She felt an unnatural swell of anger and desire to slash her sword against the man who had tried to kill her. _Try to injure, not kill your opponents. Remember, we are not The Dark Lord_. She took a deep breath, calming herself. She wouldn't let her emotions get the best of her.

As the man struggled to free his sword, Rin turned her blade to the dull edge of the handle, and punctured the man right in his gut. "Ahh." He screamed silently as lost consciousness.

Rin felt a chill run down her spine. She quickly turned around, finding another bandit trying to sneak a secret attack behind her. His sword was raised, leaving his whole front open and vulnerable. Before the bandit could take a swing at her head, she lowered her self and punctured his gut with the handle of her sword.

She tiredly looked around for another hidden bandit. There were none. They had all run off. She sighed as she fell on her knees. She was out of breath and her hands were shaking. In fear. It wasn't until it was over did she truly understand how frighting battle was. She could have died. Just like that. Mikuo was right. Her best _wasn't_ good enough. She was still weak. She needed to get serious with her training, or she'd never move forward.

She looked around for Mikuo. She found him just ahead. His battle with the Bandit Leader had ended, she noted as she saw the blond man raise his arms up in defeat. "I've lost." He muttered.

Mikuo placed his sword back in its sheath. "You're an interesting fellow. What's your name?"

He didn't meet his eyes. "...Bitter Andy." He mumbled.

"Bitter Andy?" He repeated, unsure if he heard right.

"My mother was from the Manchester country." He explained.

He nodded his head. Now he understood. Sort of. "Well, _Bitter Andy_. Have you ever thought of joining the rebel force?"

He raised a brow at him. "Is that what you are?" He asked surprised. He looked away thinking about his question. "I'm not sure. It has quipped by interest. I suppose, but I don't think I'd join." He admitted.

He smiled. "Well if you ever change your mind come to the Capitol. You can say Mikuo Hatsune sent you." One might have found it strange that Mikuo was acting so friendly around a supposed enemy that had the intention of killing him, but Mikuo understood his position. He could tell by one glance. There were those like Bitter Andy who could not pay taxes and often had to succumb to thievery. Not all of course. His "comrades" were a fine example of that. Still, it didn't make it any less sad.

...

Once the rest of the bandits had gone, Mikuo approached Rin, already well aware of how she felt. "Are you up for another lesson?"

* * *

Rin woke up in the middle of the night. She laid by the campfire, her comrades all fast asleep. Her whole body ached from her long five-hour session with Mikuo. It hurt to move, but she needed to get up. She decided she would review her training once every evening. It wouldn't be long. She'd soon slip right back into bed.

Yesterdays events had taught her the state of her being, and she couldn't have been more disappointed. She needed to needed to become better―stronger if she ever wanted to protect her friends. If she ever wanted to find Len.

Rin pulled herself up, biting her tongue to stop herself from releasing a groan of pain. Her muscles ached, they desired rest, but she ignored her body's plea as she grabbed her sword and walked into a secluded area of the woods. She stood in front of a barren field, throwing swings in different angles, but the pain of her muscles was starting to become too much for her, so she decided to work on her stances instead.

"First position." She muttered as she tried to imitate Mikuo moments from earlier. She held it for a few moments before muttering, "Second Position."

* * *

Len had noticed the silhouette of the girl under the bright moonlight. The murmuring had come next. "Third position." The female said switching to a new stance. He raised his brow at the strange sight. What was a girl doing out in the middle of no where this late at night? He and Rei had camped out not far from here, during the early hours of the morning, now that the moon had reached its peak, they were ready to move on with their travels.

He turned away, not wanting to draw her attention to him. "What an awful stance." He muttered, walking back to his path.


	12. The Arrival of King Len

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 12: The Arrival of King Len**

Rin turned around. She had felt the presence of another being, but all she was faced with was the bushes and trees of the forest. She frowned. Had it been her imagination?

* * *

They were reaching the end of the second month of their travels. The weather had begun to cool, and temperatures had dropped dramatically over the early mornings and evenings. Kaiko said winter would come early this year, but she assured her friends that they had nothing to worry about. They were sure to reach the capital before then.

Over the course of this month, Rin was never summoned back to her world. Not even once. She pretended it didn't bother her, but to be honest, she was worried. What if she never returned? Would she stay in this world forever? To distract herself from these thoughts, Rin decided to train harder in her swording lessons in the morning, and self-studies in the evenings. She was really starting to improve in her sword techniques. At this rate, she was sure she would one day be able to take Mikuo down in a fair fight.

Rin had done her best to hide the fact that she trained by herself in the middle of the night, while everyone else was sleeping. Her self-training hours had increased over the past month, resulting in Rin getting at least four hours of sleep, at best. Despite the little hours rest she'd gotten, it didn't show in her training. Rin was slowly starting to get used to lack of sleep, so there was no harm done. She believed she had her friends fooled, but after the second week away from Rojin village, she woke up to three items by her side.

**1. Knitted Tunic**

_If you simply **must** train in the evenings, at least wear something warm._

_―Kaiko_

**2. Her Sword**

_I've noticed your sword was dulled, more so after the past few weeks of training. Well, as expected from a low-quality sword such as yours. Still, I cannot bare to see a sword in such a state, so I sharpened it for you._

_―Luki_

**3. Hand-drawn Lesson Plan**

_If you're going to train after my lessons, at least **try **to do the proper stances. Honestly, they're awful. Anyway, I made this for you. Learn from it._

_―Mikuo_

No one had said anything the next morning.

* * *

He was acting strange. Mikuo, that is. It hadn't been been a day since Rin and her companions had settled in Kitori village and Mikuo was already unusually weary of his surroundings. He had canceled today's swording lessons because he was too distracted to teach, he was nervous and had become as jumpy as a frightened cat, he would constantly look over his shoulder as if someone were about to attack him from behind.

Rin wanted to ask him if he was alright, but she refrained herself from doing so. She figured he was uncomfortable with settling in another village like Rojin. They all were. Neither Kaiko, Rin, or Mikuo had spoken about the massacre incident since Luki joined them in their travels. It was best not to speak about it if they wanted to remain in high-spirits, but she knew even if it was never mentioned again, none of them would ever forget what they saw.

Rin laid on bed, breathing a heavy sigh. She was bored with nothing to do. Mikuo had gone out by himself to the village entrance, Rin would have joined him, by decided against it. He looked like he needed time to himself. Kaiko and Luki went to the market area to restock on a few supplies, leaving Rin alone in her rented room, with no one but her thoughts to keep her company.

Like Mikuo, Rin had also been feeling strange since her arrival to the town. An unidentified feeling swelled in her chest. What was it, she wondered. Worry? Excitement? She furrowed her brows. Excitement? Excitement over what?

Rin rolled over the mattress, grabbing her school bag from under the bed. She pulled out her notebook, pencil, and cellphone. Her phone of course had run out of battery long ago. She'd used its light to find her way around the forest. Her eyes wandered towards her notebook. She had no new findings to record either. She groaned as her head fell into her pillow. As stated before, she was bored with nothing to do.

She looked out the window. It was a cloudy afternoon. Cool wind blew outside, but it was still somewhat warm in weather. _Maybe I should go out_, she thought. She got out of bed, leaving the inn, and went out into the village. She took a leisurely walk around town, with no plans to settle at any location in the village. She had soon entered the market place. She was pretty sure Kaiko and Luki were still somewhere in the packed area. Maybe she'd run into them.

Smelling all the produce got her hungry. Rin still had a few of the silver coins Kaiko had given her. She decided she would buy something. She walked towards a stall where the smell of fresh baked goods wafted her nose. How lucky. She was in the mood for sweets.

"Um, excuse me." She said catching the owner's attention. "I'll have that one over there." She pointed at the most appetizing of the pastries. It was light, fluffy, and looked so fattening. She couldn't resist. She payed for her treat, taking a bite out it. _Delicious..._She never thought it'd taste this good. She never did get the chance to eat sweets from this world. She wondered if she record the fact that the Mirrored World has excellent sweets. No, that was irrelevant.

Just as she was about to take another bite out of her cream-filled treat, someone bumped into her. Rin watched in horror as she saw her pastry splatter onto the ground. Her mouth hung open as she made a failed attempt to reach out to it before it could fall, but it had been too late. Her pastry had fallen, it was now in ruins.

She looked up and glared at the person at fault. It was a pale, ebony haired boy with sharp wolf-yellow eyes. He looked away. "Sorry." He muttered not looking at all apologetic. He glanced at her, sighing when he noticed her glare remained. "I'll buy you another one, alright?" He said throwing his arms up defeat. "Hold on a moment." He walked over to the stall Rin had gotten her pastry from.

Rin watched him annoyed. What was his problem? It was his fault. Why was he in a bad mood?

He soon came back, presenting a new freshly baked pastry. "Here." He said handing it to her. Before she could even thank him, he walked away, muttering something under his breath. The only words she did manage to catch were: 'Filthy', 'Peasants', and 'King'. This caused Rin's face to twist in confusion. Had he insulted her? She shook her head, deciding to let it go. She had her pastry, that's all that mattered.

Just as Rin was about to eat her pastry, she spotted Mikuo running her way. "Hello Mikuo..." She trailed off as she realized Mikuo had run right past her. She turned around, her eyes following him as he braked. He turned her way, approaching her. He clasped his hands over her shoulder with such force, it caused Rin to drop her pastry. Again. "Mikuo_―_"

"_Rin._" It was then did she notice the mad look in his eyes. "Find Kaiko and Luki and take them back to the inn."

She swallowed a lump in her throat. In a matter of seconds, the air had become chilling cold. "W-why?" She asked.

He took a quick look over both his shoulders before answering her. "The King..." He began. "He's here."


	13. Blindness

**Mirror Image**

**Chapter 13: Blindness**

Rei had always found his cousin to be...strange when it came to Mikuo. While he understood his loathing for the teal haired boy, and his hate for his cousin, he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable around him, despite the calm composure he usually held. Len and Mikuo's hate for each other was...was _unnatural_. There was no other word he could use to describe it. Their mutual hate was so strong, it was as if a string of fate connected them, making the two aware of each others presence. It's what led them to today's occurrence.

With winter drawing near, and the Capitol in an arms reach, Len had made the unexpected decision to settle in this unknown village dump. As King, he of course had the last say in everything, but Rei at least had enough power to ask him why he would make the sudden detour. "Because Mikuo's there." He said. "I just know it."

Now here he was, already hating this town. He wandered the streets, wanting to head back to his room. He had enough of the village life. He had already run into some rude peasant girl who only damped his mood. That's why he liked living the life of the blue-blooded. Even when the people despised you, they wouldn't dare speak against you. Watching the pursed lips and held-back tongues of the working class was amusing in its own way.

He sighed. No. He wouldn't return just yet. If Len was correct, and Mikuo really was here then he was sure to witness an interesting fight.

* * *

"Wait, Mikuo!" Rin called after him, but he had already run off.

She blinked, shocked by the news she'd just heard. The King was here? Her heart lurched. She never expected they'd cross paths so soon. It hadn't even been a month since the Rojin incident. For someone she never met, she didn't think it was possible to despise someone to such a degree, but she hated him with a passion. Her anger made her temperature rise. His very name made her blood boil. She wanted to teach The Dark Lord a lesson. She wanted to make him suffer, but even then, it wouldn't make up for even a fragment of the pain he placed upon his people.

_He was crowned two years ago. _She remembered Mikuo had told her those words not too long ago.

_Two years_, she thought. How could someone cause so much damage in such a short time?

"Rin?"

She broke away from her thoughts as she turned to her caller. "Kaiko." She said surprised. "Luki, your here too." She didn't think she'd find them so soon.

"What's with the sour face?" The Swordsmith asked.

"Mikuo." She said. "He said the King is here."

Whatever supplies Kaiko held, had all fallen to the ground. She gasped, quickly gaining her composure. "Excuse me." She mumbled, kneeling down to the floor to gather her things. Rin noticed the light tremor in her arms as she picked up each item. She knew Kaiko was holding herself back, just as she always had in front of her. Once her supplies were back into place, she used her free hand to grab Rin's. "Come on you two. We're going back to the inn. _Now_."

Rin winced. Kaiko didn't seem to realize the tight hold she had on her wrist. It was unlike her. "Kaiko, wait." She pleaded.

She ignored her as she continued to drag her away.

"Mikuo." She said. "He went after him."

Kaiko paused, and for a moment Rin believed she would reconsider her decision, but instead she said, "Mikuo can handle him. We can't."

She was confused. "The King? Shouldn't we worry about his soldiers?" She asked. She was already aware of The Dark Lord's strong military force. Soldiers were stationed all over the cities and towns of Yamis. He could bring forth an army in an instant, if he wanted to.

Kaiko turned, giving her a sharp glare. "Don't underestimate him!" She snapped. Rin was taken aback. She didn't think it was possible for her calm and cheery friend to wear such a hateful expression. Kaiko must have sensed her discomfort because she forced a smile as she loosened her grip on Rin's wrist. "Let's go back, okay? If we do, I'll tell you a bit about who The Dark Lord really is."

Her eyes widened. To know about the King of Yamis? How had she not thought about this before? Her mental image of him was of a cruel, heartless man. A selfish King who enjoyed his luxuries while his people suffered. Rin had judged him only by his actions, but to know even a bit of The Dark Lord for who he _really_ was, even if it was vague, it was something she couldn't pass up.

The trip to the inn was a quiet one. Rin bit on her bottom lip, trying her best to bottle up her questions and itching sense of curiosity. Knowing Kaiko's personality, she knew she wouldn't get many answers, still, there was so much she wanted to know. Who was The Dark Lord? Why did he become the person he was today? How did her friends seem to know so much about him? It was as if they knew the King on a personal level. Questions came into her head one after the other. The sudden rush of thoughts made her head spin.

Kaiko and Luki entered her room. Rin followed behind them, checking the empty halls before closing the door shut. "Now," She breathed, somewhat surprised she hadn't sputtered her questions all at once. "I want some answers."

Kaiko sighed, sitting on the edge of Rin's bed. "What do you want to know?"

"Who...who is The Dark Lord?"

Luki, who was standing by the corner of the room with his arms crossed laughed. "That's a strange question to ask."

She frowned. She thought it seemed like a reasonable question. She was overcome with overwhelming urge to know more about The Dark Lord. Who was he really? "I just want to know more about the person we're going up against." She said. She wanted to know if The King of Yamis was as dehumanized as her mental picture of him depicted.

It was Kaiko's turn to speak. "Well, as you know, The Dark Lord was crowed just two years ago, but what we didn't tell you was the fact that he's just a boy." She nodded, confirming her statement. "He's younger than me. Probably around your age."

Rin's stomach knotted tightly. A boy? Her age? The news shocked her. How could someone her age do so much wrong? Rin herself had enough trouble as it is just injuring her opponents. To know that she caused someone pain, either emotionally or physically made her overwhelmed with guilt. To think the King was someone her age was unbelievable. Though they were the same age, there was a huge difference between them.

Rin thought carefully for her next question. She had to word it in a way that wouldn't offend her friends. The Dark Lord was a sensitive topic for her group. "...How do you know the King?"

Luki raised his brow. "Do you mean...on a personal level?"

She turned to him, slowly nodding.

"I've only ever caught glimpse of him." He admitted.

"I met him once." Kaiko said, getting her attention. "It wasn't a pleasant experience..." She trailed off for a moment. "It's Mikuo who really shares a past with the King, but that's not my story to tell." She said firmly, but sighed after seeing Rin's disappointed expression. "Well...what I will say is that Mikuo and The Dark Lord were trained by the same master. That's why I said you shouldn't underestimate him, because he _is_ on the same level as Mikuo."

She was shocked. Same level as Mikuo? How was that possible? Mikuo was the best Swordsman out there. To think there was someone that could match his strength. It was unbelievable. Impossible. _Worrisome_, she thought remembering Mikuo said he was going after him. Would he be alright?

"Um," she said after a minutes silence. "what about his name?"

"What about it?" Said Luki.

"What is his name?" She figured he must have had a name. One besides 'King' (his title) or 'The Dark Lord' (name to describe his dark and cruel heart and to lower his Kingly status)

"If I remember correctly, it was L_―_" He was interrupted by a series of screams bellowing from outside.

Rin quickly approached the window, watching as citizens of the town ran away from a disturbance caused deep within the village. Rin already knew the cause of the commotion. It was Mikuo and the King.

She ran for the door.

"Rin, where do you think you're going?" Kaiko called after her.

She slammed the door behind her, giving Kaiko her answer.

* * *

There were no greetings, or warnings given when they broke into battle. Mikuo didn't have that sort of respect for Len, and neither did he. The two had immediately caused a ruckus the moment their swords had been unsheathed. The villagers went into chaos, pushing each other away as they tried to get away from the fighting pair, but neither Len nor Mikuo had any interest in the people of the small town. They weren't even aware of the commotion they'd caused. Their only focus was on each other.

_Today definitely will be the day I kill him!_ That was the thought they shared, and was the thought they had for one another. Len and Mikuo were evenly matched. The two fought hard in the battle, positive they could destroy the other before fainting from exhaustion.

Mikuo had to win the fight. He had to kill Len. If he was dead, so many lives would be spared, he would finally be able to extract his revenge, and then he could finally live a calm and happy life. It had always been his dream to settle down with the common worries of man and not the fear of being the next village destroyed because he couldn't pay a ridiculously large tax.

Len had his own reasons for wanting to kill his former friend. It wasn't something he liked to think or talk about, but just remembering the ultimate betrayal Mikuo had committed was enough to drive him mad with fury. He had to kill Mikuo, and even if couldn't, he knew he would see Mikuo's cold body splayed on the ground one way or the other.

The King glanced at an alley way where a he placed a solider to keep watch of he and Mikuo. If Mikuo _did_ manage to overpower him, his solider would attack his opponent from behind, killing him. It was a dirty move, even for him, but what did he care? As long as Mikuo ended up dead, then he was fine with anything.

Len's breathing grew heavy. He was getting tired, but Mikuo was holding up well. He always did have an amazing stamina. It was the only thing that made Mikuo superior to him. It was infuriating.

Mikuo placed an unexpected heavy blow on Len. He managed to block the attack, but the strength in Mikuo's attack was overwhelming. He couldn't hold on any longer. His sword fell as he too fell on the ground.

_Dammit_, he thought.

Mikuo, now on top of him, had his sword placed dangerously close to his neck. This was it. Today, in the fall of 846, Hatsune Mikuo would kill Kagamine Len, The Evil King of Yamis.

* * *

Rin hid by a stall, staring at the large man that stood by the black-haired boy she had run into before. There was something suspicious about those two. She watched as the large man loomed towards Mikuo. She had been observing his fight with The Dark Lord for quiet some time now. She stood at a far distance, so far that the two were both small specks in her eyes, she was amazed nonetheless, but it hadn't been long before the two bystanders had caught her attention. They were too calm to be citizens of the village.

She watched as the large man in his gradual approach towards Mikuo. Something glinted at his side. A dagger. That's when she understood. He was a solider. The King was playing dirty! Rin bit on her tongue to refrain from calling out to Mikuo. He was too absorbed in his battle to notice the man behind him. She'd get rid of him herself.

She pulled out her sword, cautious of her surroundings. She looked between The solider and the battle between Mikuo and The Dark Lord, but as she slowly advanced towards her target, she found her eyes locked on Mikuo's battle. This was the first time she'd come into view with The King. As her eyes slowly came into focus, she couldn't help but feel that she recognized the King's figure. Her heart clenched. She didn't understand. Why did she feel this strong sense of familiarity?

Before she could further question the oddity of her emotions, she bumped into something hard. She looked up, meeting the eyes of the Solider, her target. Her eyes widened. She thought of many curses as she realized how stupid she'd been. She should have been paying attention to him, no matter how curious she was about the King. Now, she'd face the ultimate punishment.

She and and the Solider were both terrified from the unexpected confrontation. In a desperate attempt, Rin tried to get her sword ready into position, but the solider had been faster. He fumbled for his dagger, unsheathing it in a swift motion, but the blade had slipped through his fingers, cutting Rin across both her eyes.

"Ahh!" She screamed, dropping her sword as she used both arms to cover the deep wound. _It burns, it burns_, she thought over her screams.

Mikuo jumped at the sound of the shriek. _That voice..._ He turned to find Rin on the ground with her eyes covered, blood seeping through her fingers. The solider near her searched for his fallen blade. Mikuo knew what would happen if he got a hold of it. Pressured, he looked between Len, his enemy, and Rin, his friend. He only had a few seconds, he had to make a choice. Would he kill Len in the few spare seconds he had? His death would do much good for the people of Yamis. Citizens would finally be free from his torment. _He_ would finally be free from his torment, but Rin...he couldn't just abandon her.

He gave Len one last glare as he pulled his sword away. His eyes widened, surprised by his action. "Next time...I swear..."He muttered under his breath. He made a run for it, hauling Rin over his shoulders as he sped off. He would regret sparing Len's life, but it was for the best.

Rin squirmed away from Mikuo's hold, pulling on his hair and kicking his abdomen area. "Let me go, let me go." She screamed.

"Rin, it's me." Mikuo snapped, blocking her attacks.

"Mi..ku...o?" She whispered. She felt her heart sink as she came to the shocking realization. "I-I can't see you. I can't see."


End file.
